Oscar Gold
by asmallnerdinabigworld
Summary: "We have to leave." Oscar is hearing voices, or (more specifically) one voice. What's he going to do about it? A closer look at Oscar's backstory from his POV, and how Ozpin managed to persuade a 14 year old to uproot his life for him. Currently being rewritten, look out for the update Summer 2020. Manipulative!Ozpin, Abused!Oscar, Minor OCs. Please review.
1. Chapter 1: Voice in my Head

**Quick author's note because I finally figured out how to add them:** Although this isn't the first fic I've written, it is the first I've published and the first time I've actually made an account on ffn. I'm still getting the hang of the system, so sorry if there are any formatting mistakes.

I tried to keep it within canon as much as possible, and I intended it to be read as a sort of companion piece to the actual show as opposed to a complete re-write. It contains a few OCs, but besides Oscar's aunt and uncle they're all minor background characters.

This isn't an apologist fic or bashing any character in particular, it's just my take on what might be going through Oscar's head and what could have happened "behind the scenes" or so to speak.

Please review, all feedback is welcome (as an amateur writer, I could really do with advice from the experts on this site).

* * *

**Chapter One: Voice in my Head**

In the attic of an old barn, a teenage boy fiddled with the torn bandage around his neck. Despite the corded muscle on his limbs every bone was visible through his stained white shirt.

_How did my life go so wrong, so fast?_ He wondered, sitting cross-legged on a wooden bed, reading a leather bound book by the light of a small lamp. He sighed. A dark look flickered in his hazel eyes, like a sudden shadow blocking the sunlight that filters through a forest at sunset.

A faint groan escaped him. _Why me? I really didn't think I'd be the one to lose it..._ Tossing his book onto his bed, he stood up and walked towards the door.

_"We have to leave."_

The voice echoed in his head. Again. It sounded deep and male, but surprisingly soft. Oscar's skin crawled. It had grown increasing insistent since it first appeared.

_"Oscar."_

His shoulders tensed.

_"Oscar."_ The voice hardened.

He reached for the door, but his hand fell back to his side.

"I've decided you're not real, so you might as well just give up." Hands curled into fists, he spoke aloud to the disembodied voice.

_"I understand how you're feeling. I went through the same panic and confusion."_ A note of sympathy entered the voice.

Taking a deep breath, Oscar turned away from the door and began to pick a few books up off the floor. His heart raced. "It's not real it's not real it's not real." He shoved the books back on the shelf, hands shaking.

_"I can assure you, you're perfectly sane." _ The voice spoke again. His tone was almost gentle. Oscar stared out of the window, his own reflection staring back at him.

"I'm talking to a voice in my head." He said, half pleading, half in shock.

_"I didn't say you were normal, I said you were sane." _ The voice sounded sickeningly calm. Oscar turned to the door again, trying to block it out. _ "There's quite a significant difference-" _

"Shut up!" Oscar cut him off, bringing his arms down as if to bat the voice away. "You think this is funny?" He said, turning to glare at empty air. "It's not." His eyes narrowed in anger.

_"We are in complete agreement on that matter I promise you." _ The voice said. Every muscle in Oscar's body was wound up tight.

_"Believe me, I wish this weren't the case. But as I've told you, our aura, our souls, are combined." _ The voice took on a passionate, almost reverent tone.

"I'm done listening to you." Oscar glared at the ceiling. For a moment, there was silence.

The voice returned. _ "Have you ever been to Haven?" _

"I told you I'm not going and I told you I'm done listening." One hand on his waist, he glared angrily at mid-air.

_"Do you think you could describe the headmaster's office?" _

Oscar looked down again. "No, why would I know that, I've never seen-"

_"Try." _ The order cut across Oscar. _ "Right now." _

A defeated sigh escaped him, and he closed his eyes in concentration.

"It's probably..." He paused, brow furrowed. "It's..." His eyes snapped open. "It's autumn coloured. With a large mahogany desk. There's a small table and chairs in the corner for guests, with a tea set that I... I gave him." He faltered, eyes wide in shock. His breathing was shallow and rapid and he slammed his hand against his forehead. "Why did I say that? Why do I know that, why did I say that?" He looked around frantically.

_"Because I helped build that school, and the tea set was a gift to the man running it now." _ The voice was matter-of-fact. Oscar's eyes narrowed and he turned away. He sat on the bed, head in his hands and eyes shut tight. _ "If you don't believe me, you can look it up. If I recall, your aunt has several books on Mistral downstairs. I'm certain you could find a picture in one of them." _

Oscar's breathing slowed. He straightened up and placed his hands on his knees. "That... that's right, I must have seen it in a picture." A soft, quiet sigh escaped him.

_"Oscar." _

"Stop talking to me!" Oscar yelled. He stood up quickly, fists clenched.

_"I have a grave responsibility to uphold. _" The voice continued, disregarding Oscar's anger. _ "We both do." _ At this, Oscar's hands fell to his sides and he crumpled to the floor. His shoulders slumped as he knelt on the threadbare rug.

"I never agreed to anything." He whispered. As he stared at the floor, his eyes clouded with tears.

_"No, you didn't, and neither did I... at first." _ The voice said.

_If he's trying to sound reassuring, _Oscar thought to himself, _he failed. _

_"But you do have an opportunity." _ Insisted the voice.

Oscar's eyes closed tight. "For what?" The bitterness in his words was tangible.

_"Greatness, hopefully." _

Oscar straightened up.

_"Greatness in knowing that when the world needed help, you were the one to reach out your hand. It won't come without hardship, without sacrifice," the_ voice warned, _"but I know you don't want to live the rest of your life working as a farmhand in Mistral." _

It took a moment for the significance of that last little statement to fully reach Oscar, but when it hit, it hit like a train. He grabbed his head.

"So you just decided to read my thoughts?" Horror filled his hesitant question.

_"I..." _ The voice paused. _ "Well, they're our thoughts now." _

Oscar's face screwed up and he gritted his teeth, pulling at his hair. "Get out of my head!" He screamed.

"Oscar!" His aunt yelled from downstairs.

_Oh gods, _he thought, glancing at the door.

"Suppertime!" His aunt continued yelling. "I better see clean hands!"

He dropped his head, still kneeling on the rug. Taking a moment to steady his shaking hands, he contemplated telling her what was happening to him. _ No, _he thought, _she might tell uncle Dean, and then I'm totally screwed. _ He took a deep breath, stood up and walked out of the door.

"Please..." he whispered to the voice, "don't talk in front of my aunt. Please."

* * *

**Notes:** Originally, I started this fic because I was mildly annoyed that Oscar, my favourite character in RWBY, didn't really get much backstory and I wanted to explore potential reasons why Oscar was so willing to believe Ozpin and leave his home. In addition to this, the allure of writing a character with two souls/minds fighting for control of his body (and all the angst and interesting situations that could bring) was too much to let slide. I wrote most of this while I was procrastinating studying for exams and it's my first proper fic that was both good enough and long enough to be worth publishing. Please give feedback, especially on grammar, formatting and pacing.

I already have most of this fic drafted up, I just need to do some more editing before I can post it. I planned for it to have 20 chapters, but I've had so much fun writing it that I might continue it past that (which means changing the last two chapters a bit).

Thanks for reading 😊


	2. Chapter 2: Scraps

**Notes:** This chapter is where this fic really earns its T rating, and made me consider upping it to M. Content/trigger warnings for physical abuse, violence and child abuse. Feel free to skip if you're uncomfortable reading something of that nature.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Scraps**

The mouth-watering smell of soup filled the old barn that passed as a house, spilling out of the small kitchen. Oscar's shoe caught on the scuffed floorboards and he stumbled slightly. He righted himself before his aunt noticed.

"Oscar, lay the table." She had her back to him, ladling the soup into three chipped wooden bowls. The sleeves of her light brown shirt were rolled up to stop the orange splashes leaving stains on it. Opening the kitchen cabinet, Oscar pulled out a few metal spoons and placed the most warped one in front of his seat.

"So... Uncle Dean's eating with us today?" He asked.

"Yeah, I am." A deep voice spoke from the doorway. A tall, heavily set man stood there, dressed in a well-worn leather jacket and mud-spotted trousers.

Oscar spun to face him. "I didn't realise you were back already."

"Head in a book as usual, eh kid?" Dean said, sounding slightly amused. He stepped forward and held Oscar's shoulder tightly. Oscar straightened up. Dean relaxed his grip a little, and the corner of his mouth twisted up in a barely hidden smile. "Don't zone out over dinner." He said, giving Oscar a pat on the shoulder before pushing past him to get to the table. "It smells amazing Carol."

"Thank you!" Her cheeks coloured. "I hope I didn't put too much salt in." She placed a bowl gently down in front of him, making sure none split. Oscar sat down.

"So," Oscar said, "where was your mission this time?" A note of eagerness slipped into his voice.

"Havashi. Y' know, the little village with the orchard. They had some kind of sickness going round, which brought bad tempers. You can guess what happened next."

"Grimm." Carol frowned.

"Yeah. Not too bad though, only a small pack of beowulf. Nothing I couldn't handle." Dean said, dipping his spoon into his soup.

"I'm just glad you're back safe." Carol said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

There was a drawn-out moment of silence in which Oscar stared at the table and hoped that someone else would start talking. Silence was risky. There was too much time to think. _ Should I tell them? _ He asked himself for the thousandth time, picking at the skin on his wrist with broken nails. _ I know only I can hear the voice, but maybe there's some way to prove it's really there? Maybe...? _ He sighed. _ Maybe I am crazy. _

"Oscar, are you alright?" Carol said, leaning across the table to place a hand on her nephew's arm.

"What's wrong with you?" Dean said, eyes narrowed. "You look like a kicked puppy."

Carol sat back in her seat, tucking both hands into her lap.

"It doesn't matter, it's probably nothing." Oscar said, shaking his head a little.

"I know that face, it's not nothing." Dean said, gripping Oscar's arm. His voice had hardened.

_Great job Oscar, you colossal screw up. _ Oscar thought to himself. _ Why couldn't you just keep your mouth shut? _

"Hey, answer me." Dean's voice was dangerously low, and he jutted out his chin on each word.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." Oscar tried to pull away, glancing at his aunt for help. She looked away.

"Tell me, Oscar." Dean leaned forward, pulling Oscar's arm towards him so they were face to face. His eyes drilled into Oscar's head.

"It was nothing, it was nothing!" Oscar spluttered. He couldn't say it, but what else could he say?

"I was just thinking that maybe..." He trailed off, trying to think.

"Spit it out, kid." Dean didn't break eye contact, slowly twisting Oscar's arm into a more and more painful position.

"I want to go to Haven!" Oscar blurted out, stammering slightly.

"Why?" Dean growled, his teeth gritted.

"I want to train to be a huntsman." Oscar said, shaking like a leaf. "Like you." He finished in a small voice, looking down at the scratched surface of the table.

Dean slammed his fist on the table, missing Oscar's trapped arm by a fraction. "And why in hell do you think you can do that?" Dean yelled, so close to Oscar's face that he could feel the man's hot breath on his cheek. Oscar turned his face away, closing his eyes tightly. He regretted speaking at all.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Dean shouted, grabbing Oscar's head and pulling it round to face him. Oscar opened his eyes quickly.

"I thought I could..." Oscar tried, cut off by a glare from Dean.

"You thought nothing." He said, Oscar's hair twisted in his fist. "Do you want to know the only way you could possibly be useful, Oscar? Do you?"

Oscar only stared, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He yelped in pain as Dean tightened his grip on the side of his face.

"I'm sorry!" Oscar pleaded, trying to pull away. His flailing arm knocked into his bowl of soup and sent it spinning off the table. It landed on the floor between Carol and Dean, spattering both their shoes. Carol winced.

"You little brat!" Dean punched Oscar hard in the jaw. Oscar's head snapped back and he tasted blood. He brought his free hand up to protect his face, staring wide-eyed up at Dean.

"I didn't mean to-" He stammered, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

_"Oscar, you're not going to win this." _ The voice was back.

_Oh gods, _thought Oscar, _not now, please not now. _

_"You are in danger. I can help you." _ The voice insisted. He sounded worried.

"I can't trust you." Oscar whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.

With an angry snarl, Dean shoved Oscar to the floor. He landed hard, grazing his elbow. Carol backed into the corner and turned her head away. Oscar couldn't blame her. This mess was his fault, not hers. Dean towered over him, expression dark and Oscar raised both hands in defeat.

"You don't talk back to me!" Dean shouted, fists raised.

"I'm sorry!" Oscar cried out, curling up in pain as Dean kicked him in the side.

_"Let me help you, Oscar." _ The voice grew increasing urgent.

Oscar struggled, thinking bitterly that if he wasn't going crazy he wouldn't have annoyed Dean so much.

"I gave you everything!" Dean yelled, grabbing Oscar by the shoulders and heaving him up. "You would be dead in some desolate village if I hadn't saved your worthless life!" He bared his teeth, face red. Oscar closed his eyes and tried to turn his head away.

"Look at me!" Dean roared, shoving him against the wall. He opened his eyes, little spots flickering in the corner of his vision.

_"Oscar!" _ The voice insisted.

Tears ruched silently down Oscar's cheeks.

"You're pathetic." Dean growled. "I do so much for you, and this is how you repay me?" He shook Oscar hard, making his head knock painfully against the wall.

_"Oscar. Give me control." _ The voice was firm and cold.

"No!" He said, head raised. _ I can't afford to lose it now. _ He thought. _ Not here. _

His defiance was short lived.

"What did you just say to me?" Dean said, grabbing Oscar's neck and lifting him up so his feet were barely touching the ground.

"I-" Oscar was cut off as Dean squeezed tighter. He struggled for breath. His gloved hands clawed at Dean's fingers, fighting for air. Eyes watering, he looked to his aunt for help. She was gone.

"Answer me!" Dean slammed him against the wall. His ears rang. The back of his head felt wet and he registered numbly that the trickle down the back of his neck was his own blood.

_"Oscar! He's going to kill you!" _ The voice echoed in Oscar's oxygen starved brain. _ "Give me control!" _

_No, he wouldn't... _ Oscar thought. It was getting hard to focus. _ Dean wouldn't kill me. He saved my life. But I can't trust you. _ He hoped the voice could hear him. Weakly, he tried to pry Dean's fists away from his throat.

He could hear a deep male voice shouting but he couldn't even tell if it was real. Oscar's vision faded, and he slipped into darkness.

* * *

**Notes:** Thank you for reading. Please review, all feedback is welcome.

I wrote this chapter because I wanted to give Oscar a stronger incentive to leave everything he knows behind and go to Haven than the (slightly flimsy) explanation we get in canon. Also, I feel like this gives Oscar's character and personality logical reasoning – he's quiet and humble, yet dreams of glory and escape. He's awkward and distrusting around strangers (especially Qrow and Hazel), but still compassionate and empathetic – he knows the value of kindness.


	3. Chapter 3: Darkest Night

**Chapter Three: Darkest Night**

Oscar awoke to the all too familiar feeling of pain. He lay crumpled on the kitchen floor, splinters of broken wood digging into his back. As the memory of the previous night returned to him, he forced his tired eyes open. There was no one there. The room was dark and cold, lit only by the distance sprinkling of stars he saw out of the window. He grimaced at the metallic taste filling his mouth. Blood.

His rapid, shallow breaths echoed through the dark room as he struggled to raise his head. Panting from the exertion, Oscar rolled onto his side. His throat burned. He gritted his teeth as a wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm him, making the room spin.

_"Are you alright, Oscar?" _ The voice was back.

"Oh, great." Oscar whispered, his throat aching. "You know, for a moment I thought getting knocked out would get rid of you."

_"I'm sorry. I understand this must be difficult for you." _

Oscar let out a short, sharp breath. "You don't care though." He muttered bitterly.

Lifting an aching arm, he checked himself for serious injuries. He was shaking violently.

"I think I'm okay." Oscar rasped. "It hurts to breathe, but..." He broke off, hacking coughs shaking his body. Pain flared up in his torso and he gently ran a hand across his chest. "Ow..." Through the dim light, he spotted dark bruises around his wrist and upper arms.

_"He strangled you." _ Not a question. Oscar chose to ignore the voice. Hissing with pain, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He leant against the wall. Carefully, he touched his neck. His bandage was gone. In its place, red ringed his throat, a swollen handprint covering an old, jagged scar. Oscar felt the raised outline, old memories springing up unbidden.

_"For how long has this been happening to you?" _ The voice was infuriatingly calm.

"Dean didn't give me my scar!" Oscar hissed angrily. "He saved me!" His hands balled into fists and he closed his eyes. "Anyway, I thought you could read my mind. You should know."

_"I want you to say it yourself." _

"There's nothing to say!" Oscar blinked back unwanted tears from his eyes. His shoulders shook.

_"You know that's not true." _

"He's given me everything, I'd be dead without him!" At his outburst, the pain in his throat intensified and he slumped back, hissing through gritted teeth.

_"He'll kill you one day." _ The voice stated. _ "I've seen this before. I've..." _ He paused, and something like compassion entered his voice. _ "I've lived through this before. _"

"Dean's not like that." Oscar said quietly. "He always feels bad afterwards, he always makes up." Bringing his knees up to his chest, he searched for a good example.

_"Who are you trying to convince?" _

Oscar hung his head. His neck hurt like all hell. _ Where's the bandage? _ He thought, looking around the dimly lit room. His eyes fell on the drawer that usually contained a first aid kit. _ Gotcha. _

Hands shaking, he pushed himself up onto his knees. Broken pieces of wood lay scattered around the table. _ That used to be a chair... _ Oscar realised.

Swaying slightly, he placed a hand on the table to steady himself. It creaked as he used it to pull himself to his feet. His legs shook.

_"Easy." _ The voice cautioned. _ "I've done what I can to heal you but you need more time to recover." _

Oscar straightened up in shock and promptly felt a wave of nausea. "What do you mean, you've done what you can?"

_"I'm helping you heal. I do share this body with you, you know." _

"Oh, I know." Using the wall for support, Oscar slowly walked towards the cabinet. He stumbled when he reached it. Pulling the bottom draw open he spotted the cloth bag nestled in it. He laid it on the floor. A roll of bandages and a small flick knife lay curled at the bottom and he pulled them out. Using the knife, he cut a length of bandage and replaced the excess in the bag. As an afterthought, he slipped the knife into his pocket. The bandage joined it.

_"You ought to have a better weapon." _ The voice said.

"Shut up," muttered Oscar. "I'm not going to use it." He kept the knife in his pocket anyway. Standing up, he placed a hand on the wall to steady himself.

_"I know where you can get one." _

"I'm not going to Haven." His voice was hoarse and scratchy. He raised a hand to his throat to check how the injury was. "I'm going to sleep, I'm exhausted."

_"You can't stay here forever. I can't stay here forever." _ The voice grew angry. He sounded painfully loud.

Oscar ignored him, gathering the strength to walk out of the kitchen. Using various walls and bits of furniture for support he stumbled towards the back of the barn. He leant against the ladder that led up to his room, breathing heavily.

"I'm just gonna sit here for a bit..." He trailed off, blinking sleepily.

_"Oscar?" _ The voice sounded worried.

"I'm gonna..." Oscar pitched forward, falling silent. His eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed on the straw covered ground.

_"Oscar! Don't go to sleep!" _ The voice sounded panicked.

_Why are... you... worried...? You're... immortal... _Oscar thought vaguely.

_"Oscar!" _ Yelled the voice.

Oscar's eyes closed, and he thought no more.


	4. Chapter 4: A New Day

**Chapter Four: A New Day**

_"Oscar. Wake up." _

Oscar opened his eyes to see sunlight glinting through cracks in the barn roof.

"I'm not dead?" He said quietly, confused. Dried blood was caked on his clothes.

_"I used my aura to strengthen yours. You lost consciousness again." _ The voice said.

Oscar struggled into a sitting position, wincing as he did so. He looked down at his grazed hands. Rippling green energy swirled around the cuts, healing them before his eyes. His eyes widened. "What on Remnant?" He whispered.

_"I've accelerated your healing as much as I could but you will need to rest for the next few days. _"

"I can't, I have to work." Oscar tried and failed to stand, gripping the ladder for support.

_"Don't try to get up yet." _

Oscar slumped down on the floor, looking slowly around the barn. He picked up a thin yellow strand of straw and twisted it in his fingers, watching as it slipped through the layer of green energy. He lifted a hand and ran it through his hair, feeling the swelling on the back of his head go down unnaturally quickly, leaving only a smear of dried blood as evidence it was ever there.

"What is going on?" He whispered, voice hollow. "What in all of Remnant is happening to me?"

_"I-" The_ voice sighed heavily. _ "Perhaps I should start again." _

Oscar glared at the floor. "What else can you say?" He forced the words out, trying to act strong and angry. He failed.

_"Will you listen to what I say this time?" _

Oscar nodded half-heartedly in reply.

_"Good. For thousands of years I have walked the surface of Remnant, reincarnating in the body of a like-minded individual each time I died. I was cursed to this fate by the gods for failing to stop a powerful evil." _

_Wait, thousands of years? The gods are real? What 'powerful evil'? _ Questions spun around Oscar's head and he brought a hand to his forehead in confusion.

_"In my latest from, Professor Ozpin, I was headmaster of Beacon Academy. I was killed when Beacon fell." _ His voice was measured, as calm as if he was simply describing yesterday's weather.

_"Now, our souls are combined. Over time, they will merge, and you will gain access to all the skills, memories and techniques of our former lives." _

"Merge?" Oscar whispered, his voice shaking slightly. "What do you mean?"

_"Our auras are combined. Right now, I'm making a conscious effort to keep both our minds separate. Once you are older and more experienced our souls and minds will fully combine." _

Oscar shuddered. "Does that mean..." he trailed off, looking down at the straw-covered ground. His hands twisted in his lap and he tried again, whispering tentatively. "What will happen to my mind?"

_"Think of it this way Oscar - my mind and memories will be added to yours. You're not going to lose yourself, don't worry." _ He reassured Oscar. His tone was soft and patient, and a little too like the one Dean used to pacify the old farm dog before he put her down.

Oscar's skin crawled. _ I don't want to trust you, _he thought, not brave enough to speak aloud, _but I don't have a choice. _

There was a drawn-out moment of silence while Oscar tried to stop shaking. Then he took a deep, shuddering breath. "I believe you." He said. "I don't want to, but I do."

_"I'm glad. It will make the transition smoother if we can trust each other." _

Abruptly, the green energy flowing over Oscar's skin faded. "Is that supposed to happen?" He asked, brow creasing in worry.

_"Try to stand up now." _

"Okay..." Oscar said doubtfully. One hand curled tightly around the ladder for support, he slowly shifted his weight onto his knees. "It... doesn't hurt." He muttered, surprised. Growing more confident, he stood up fully. His limbs ached, as did his throat and chest, but there was no pain. A small, shocked smile settled on his face. "Thank you." He whispered.

The voice was silent for a moment. Oscar had the feeling that he didn't know what to say.

Then, he spoke. _ "Try to walk now." _

Hesitantly, Oscar took a step forward, letting go of the ladder. Reassured by the newfound strength in his legs he walked across the barn, heading for the mirror in the back corner.

"How on Remnant..." He marvelled at his clouded reflection. The red and purple bruises that had marked his skin were gone, and the swelling on his neck had all but disappeared. Just the pale, jagged scar remained. Slipping the length of bandage out of his trouser pocket, he looped it around his throat. A loose end hung free and he tucked it in. The ghost of a smile settled on his face.

_"I'm glad you're feeling better." _ Ozpin sounded like he was smiling.

"How long was I out?" Oscar asked, still studying his reflection in bemusement. He was in dire need of a wash - as were his clothes - but he looked and felt miles better.

_"You were unconscious for several hours. It appears to be just after sunrise." _

"Okay..." Oscar said, glancing around for ideas. "What next?" He looked into the cracked mirror, directing his question at Ozpin.

_"Do you want to stay here?" _

Oscar turned away from the mirror and brought a hand to his forehead. "This again?" His voice rose in frustration. "I've told you, I'm not going to Haven! I'm not uprooting my entire life to follow the orders of the voice in my head!" Shoulders shaking, he curled his hands into fists.

_"This isn't an order. I'm asking you. What do you want to do?" _ Ozpin encouraged.

"I-" Oscar sighed heavily, unclenching his fists. He looked down at the straw covered floor. "I don't know what I want."

_"Do think that you're happy here?" _ The question was carefully neutral.

"I'm happy most of the time, I think..." He looked down. "I'm better off here than out there, it's too dangerous and... I'd be alone."

_"You wouldn't be alone Oscar. You never are. And do you truly think that here is the safest place for you? You could have died last night." _ Ozpin's voice rose, a hint of worry showing through.

Oscar opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat.

_"Please, Oscar. Do it for the sake of the world, if not for yourself." _

"I..." Oscar looked into the mirror, staring deep into his own eyes. "I don't really have a reason to stay, do I?" He whispered. The silence that followed answered him perfectly. A single tear traced its way down his cheek as he straightened up, taking a deep breath.

"Alright." He said softly. "I'll do it."


	5. Chapter 5: Memories

**Chapter Five: Memories****  
**

"What am I going to need?" Oscar asked, sitting on his bed cross-legged. After cleaning his clothes, he had hung them to dry on the ladder and retreated to his room to pack. An olive-green backpack lay empty and discarded at his side, stitched on patches dotted across its surface.

_"It will be a long journey. Take what matters to you but be aware - you will want to carry as little as possible." _

Oscar fiddled with one of the faded leather straps on his backpack. "I don't really have much, except my books, and I can't take all of them." He sighed and stood up.

_"You could choose your favourite?" _ Ozpin suggested.

The corner of Oscar's mouth turned up in a half smile. He knelt on the floor, studying the row of books on his shelf. One stood out to him - a small, leather bound novel with torn edges and faded pages. Carefully, he picked it up, gazing softly at the words inscribed on its cover. "This one." He said quietly.

_"May I ask why?" _ Ozpin said, curious.

"It was my mother's." Oscar said simply, turning to the first page. A photograph lay there, tucked under a sewn-in ribbon bookmark. In it, three young adults stood, evening light tinting their features orange. Behind them, a forest was half silhouetted against a rust red sky.

"There she is." Oscar pointed to the young woman on the left. She was dressed in short forest green tunic, scuffed black trousers and a faded grey cloak - the long knife at her belt marked her as a huntress. A bright smile lit up the woman's face, her hazel eyes glittering. Short, rosewood coloured hair poked out from underneath the faded cap she wore at an angle. Thin scars like claw marks ran across her cheek. She wore them like a medal.

_"You look a great deal like her." _ Ozpin said softly.

"Yeah." Oscar smiled sadly, running his finger gently across the photograph. "She was a huntress. I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I still do, I think."

_"You don't sound sure." _

"I'm not. Everything's been so crazy, I don't know what's going to happen." Oscar frowned.

There was a moment of silence before Ozpin changed the subject. _ "Is that your aunt and uncle in the photograph?" _

"Oh, yeah it is." Oscar said, looking down at the picture. In the middle stood a shorter woman with an ecstatic expression. The two women were similar in looks, both with lightly tanned skin and freckles like specks of paint dotting their faces. On the right, a man stood, towering over the other two adults. His smooth, angular face was set in a broad smile and he held his shoulders high. One arm was draped loosely around the shoulders of the woman in the middle. She held his hand tightly.

"It was taken just after Carol and Dean got married." Oscar said with a small smile. "Carol told me that my mom was so happy, she was almost more excited than they were." He let out a shaky breath and stood up, slipping the photograph back into the book. Opening the backpack he'd left on the bed, he tucked the book away into the deepest pocket.

"What else do I need?" He asked, getting up. As he did, he tripped over the edge of the rug and ended up sprawled on the floor.

_"May I suggest a first aid kit?" _ Ozpin said, his cool tone failing to mask his amusement.

"Very funny Oz." Oscar said dryly, spitting out bits of fluff. "There's one under my bed but it doesn't have much in it."

_"What about the one in the kitchen?" _ Ozpin said hesitantly.

Oscar sighed and rolled over. "I really don't want to get hit again." He stared at the ceiling, watching a small spider trying and failing to spin a web.

Ozpin remained silent. Sighing again, Oscar pushed himself up onto his knees.

"I'll check if anyone's in the kitchen. If not, I should be able to grab some supplies and get out without being caught." He stood up and walked towards the door. Gathering the necessary courage, he opened it and climbed down the ladder.


	6. Chapter 6: Cleaning Up

**Chapter Six: Cleaning Up**

In the kitchen, Oscar stood staring in shock. "That's gonna take a lot of cleaning up." He ran his hand across the table, pausing at a small, reddish-brown stain.

_"Your blood." _ Ozpin said, almost sadly.

Oscar glanced warily around the room, eyes narrowed. Spatters of blood had soaked into the floorboards, and there was another stain on the wall. A pool of vomit sat by the doorway. Broken remains of a wooden chair were scattered around the kitchen. The upturned bowl of soup still lay on the floor, attracting flies. He swore under his breath. "I've got to clean that up."

_"You only came down here for a first aid kit." _ Ozpin sounded impatient.

"I have to clean up the mess I made before Dean sees it." Oscar ran to the small cupboard under the window and opened it, taking out an empty bucket.

_"You didn't make that mess!" _

Flinching hard, Oscar stopped in his tracks. His gloved hands tightened on the handle of the bucket.

Seemingly realising his mistake, Ozpin continued in a softer voice. _ "Your uncle did, when he almost killed you." _

A pained look flashed across Oscar's face. "He wasn't going to kill me, I swear! I was just being annoying by not answering him properly, and I know he wants me to stay at the farm and help Carol. I shouldn't have mentioned Haven; he thinks it's too dangerous for me." His voice was earnest and pleading, but it shook like his hands did.

_"Who are you trying to persuade, Oscar? _" Worry seeped into Ozpin's voice. _ "I think we both know what could have happened last night. " _

Oscar stayed silent, head bowed.

_"I don't want to see you get hurt again, Oscar." _Ozpin pleaded. _ "I've lost too many students, and too many friends." _

"I thought I was immortal now." Oscar's voice was quiet but bitterly sarcastic. "You know, since our souls are merged." _ "I'm immortal." _ Ozpin said. _ "That doesn't mean you are. _"

The finality of his statement hung in the air. Oscar straightened up slowly, putting down the bucket.

"Let me clean up, then I'll grab the kit and go, okay? I promise." He lifted both hands and held them up in front of his chest, open palms facing the wall. "It won't take long."

_"You don't have to ask for my permission." _ Ozpin said, his tone frosty. Oscar swallowed and carefully picked up the bucket.

"I'll just get some water from outside." He took a nervous step towards the back door. When there was no irritated comment or furious shout from Ozpin he continued, tension in every step. Slipping out of the back door as silently as he could, he scanned the yard, watching out for Dean or Carol. There was no one there. Satisfied that Dean was probably still asleep, he let out a shaky sigh.

"Okay, we're good." He glanced at his hand and realised it was shaking slightly. He tucked it into his pocket.

The water pump stood against the side of the house, rusty metal tinted green. Oscar walked up to it and, taking hold of the handle, pulled down hard. A clear stream of water gushed out into the bucket. He carried it carefully back inside, making sure not to spill any. "Happen to know any good ways to get blood out of wood?" Oscar asked, half sarcastic and half serious.

_"Try vinegar. It works for vomit too. _ Ozpin said, deadpan.

"Okay..." Oscar shot him a quizzical look that he couldn't see. He knelt down and picked up the bowl, rinsing it in the bucket. Satisfied it was clean, he placed it gently in the cupboard and turned back to scrubbing soup, vomit and blood off the floor.

After a few minutes, the floorboards were mostly clean and the broken bits of chair had been swept outside and hidden. Oscar wiped sweat off his forehead and sighed quietly. "Okay, I'm done. I'll get the kit." He crossed to the cabinet and knelt down, pulling open the bottom drawer. Taking out the cloth bag, he asked, "What am I going to need?"

_"What's in it?" _ Ozpin replied.

"Let's see." Oscar said, peering inside. He tipped the contents of the bag out onto the floor. There was a roll of bandages, antiseptic compresses, pins, burn ointment, a needle and thread, a sling, and gauze.

_"Take all of it." _ Ozpin said.

"Dean will notice." Oscar's hand jumped involuntarily to his neck and he tugged at his bandage.

_"We'll be gone by then. _"

"I can't leave Aunt Carol without a med kit." Oscar fretted, running a hand through his hair. "Dean's gonna be really pissed off that I left and..." He trailed off, staring at the doorway. "Oh gods... He'll be so angry, and I won't be here, but Aunt Carol will, and-"

_"Oscar." _ Ozpin cut across his rambling. _ "Your aunt will be fine. She's an adult, she can take care of herself." _

"You don't know that." Oscar said, breathing heavily.

_"Oscar, you're hyperventilating." _

Oscar closed his eyes and pulled at his hair. "I can't stop." He stammered.

_"Listen to me. Breathe slowly and steadily. Carol is a capable adult, and you are the only thing keeping her here. When you leave, she will come to her senses and leave. She'll finally be free." _

Oscar looked up, eyes open wide. "I'm keeping her here?" His voice shook.

_"By insisting your loyalty lies with your uncle, you are trapping both yourself and your aunt with him." _

"I never wanted that. I just-"

Ozpin cut him off. _ "Wanted a home? A family? A safe place to sleep? _"

A shaky sob escaped Oscar and he hunched over, holding his head in his hands.

_"This is no home. This is no family. You will never be safe as long as you are here." _ His voice was brutally cold.

Oscar's hands shook as he pulled at his hair, trying to ground himself.

Ozpin let out a quiet sigh. _ "I'm sorry Oscar, I -"_ He faltered, and Oscar looked up, worry and fear written across his face. Ozpin tried again. _ "You may not have a true home here, but you can find one." _

Some of the fear in Oscar's eyes dissipated. A flicker of confusion replaced it and he tilted his head slightly, listening.

_"I promise you, if you leave now, you will have the chance to find a home, and even a family. You'll get that adventure you've been dreaming of." _

"You really think so?"

_"I know it. You'll be a great hero one day." _

"A hero?" He questioned. Ozpin didn't reply. Sitting up a little straighter, Oscar brushed a stray tear from his cheek. "I want that."

_"Then you know what to do." _

He looked down at the scattered bandages and took a deep, steady breath. Slowly, his trembling hands stilled.

"I sound crazy." A quiet chuckle escaped him. "I'm taking life advice from the voice in my head."

_"I should think so; I've lived far more lives than you." _

At that impossible statement, Oscar snorted, sweeping the contents of the first aid kid back into its bag. "I'm stuck with you, aren't I?"

_"I'll never leave you." _

"As weird as that sounded Oz, it was actually kinda nice. Thanks." A small smile graced his lips and his eyes shone a little brighter.

_"You're welcome." _

Grabbing the bag, Oscar stood up. "Okay. Let's do this."


	7. Chapter 7: Don't Look Back

**Chapter Severn: Don't Look Back**

The sky was just beginning to fill with the rosy light of dawn when Oscar finally mustered the courage to leave. Ozpin had remained mercifully silent throughout the night, allowing Oscar eight blessed hours of sleep uninterrupted by the turbulent memories of past lives. He suspected that Ozpin wanted him to be well rested for the journey.

Outside the barn, Oscar glanced back. The sun was rising on the horizon, painting the fields orange and colouring the barn roof in warm yellow, gold and red tones. It tugged at him and for a moment he was suspended, balancing on a knife edge. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head slightly and turned back to the road in front of him. _ One foot in front of the other, _he told himself, walking slowly into the unknown.

When they were out of sight of the farm, Ozpin spoke. "_I'm sorry._"

"You know, the weirdest part is how it feels." Oscar looked down at the muddy road. "Leaving home is crazy. Going to the city is crazy. Everything you've told me is completely crazy. But it doesn't feel crazy anymore - it feels like I'm doing the right thing."

_"Well, I suppose that's good." _

"No. It's scary." His voice seemed very small, swamped by the tall dark forest around him. In the distance, thunder rumbled, and he quickened his pace.

By the time Oscar reached Havashi, the storm had broken and the sky was dark, on the edge of twilight. He'd visited the small village dozens of times before, but it looked unfamiliar in the driving rain. He backed up against a tree on the outskirts, scanning the buildings.

"This is the only village within three day's walk of the train station." He muttered, hugging his shivering shoulders. "We can stay the night here."

_"Is there an inn?" _

"Not exactly." He narrowed his eyes as a figure ran down the street and disappeared into a building, pushing back against the tree.

_"What do you mean?" _

Oscar pointed to where the figure had gone. "That brewery is one of three places within 200 miles that makes and sells alcohol. Dean stopped a pack of Grim wrecking this place a few days ago, which means he would have spent the next twenty-four hours 'celebrating'."

_"Right." _

"Which means he's spent a lot of money. Hopefully he mentioned me, and I can talk my way into sleeping somewhere dry tonight."

_"Then why are we still standing in the rain?" _

Oscar stared at the ground. A raindrop fell from a strand of his already drenched hair and splattered on the thin grass below his scuffed boots.

"When I was eight..." He turned his head to the side, eyes screwed shut. "Can't you just read my mind?" He pleaded to Ozpin. "I can't..." He fell silent.

_"Not for this. You need to choose to tell me." _

Oscar took a deep breath and placed a hand on the tree to steady himself.

"It wasn't the first time I'd pissed him off so much he hit me, but it was the first time he used a bottle. I was scared, so I just ran. All the way to Havashi. I passed out in front of one of those houses."

_"I'm sorry." _

"That's not even the worst bit." A bitter, sarcastic tone twisted his words. "After he'd finished nursing his hangover, he came looking for me. I..." He fell silent.

_"He found you?" _

"Yeah."

_"You're wondering if it's safe to go in because they know Dean and they might tell him where you are?" _

"I can't risk him finding me again." Oscar hugged his arms tighter around himself.

_"Perhaps it would be best to stay out of sight." _

Behind the brewery, a small covered area sheltered a stack of straw bales. With a vaguely dubious look on his face, Oscar crawled behind them, pulling his backpack in after himself.

_"You're going to sleep here?" _

"You said stay out of sight. This qualifies." He tried to make a comfortable bed with the scraps of straw littering the ground. Internally, Oscar cursed his lack of warm clothing as the winds picked up.

_"I admire your tenacity but you can't sleep out here, not in this weather." _

"I can't risk Dean finding me either."

_"I'll protect you." _

"You are literally the voice in my head! How can you protect me?"

_"You would be surprised." _

A chill ran down Oscar's spine. Brow furrowed, he dug deeper into the pile of straw. A savage gust of wind snatched away a bale of straw and left him exposed to the biting rain. He groaned.

"Okay you win! I'll go inside!"

Oscar grabbed his backpack and sprinted for the back door of the brewery. He tried the handle. It was unlocked, and he slipped quietly inside.

Oscar found himself in a tiny kitchen, pots and bottles strewn everywhere. A couple of candles sat in the window, burning brightly. A half open cupboard caught his eye. Food. Ignoring the grumbles of his conscience, he shoved a loaf of bread and some cured meats and cheeses into his backpack.

_"That's not yours." _ Ozpin sounded amused.

"I'm sure they won't mind." Grabbing a hand towel from the counter, he quickly dried himself off. His clothes were soaked, so he quickly slipped out of his sodden boots and shirt, draping them over one arm. Glancing furtively around, he crept towards the door to the bar room. He pressed his ear to the wood. Silence. Cautiously, he inched the door open and stepped inside. The room was dark and gloomy, lit only by a small candle on one of the tables. He collapsed onto an old battered sofa that sat in the corner, pulling a dry change of clothes out of his backpack. After changing, he laid his wet clothes over the back of a chair.

"I'll probably wake up before anyone comes down here." He reasoned, curling up on the sofa.

_"Goodnight Oscar. _"

"Goodnight..." Oscar mumbled, eyes sliding closed.


	8. Chapter 8: Eavesdropping

**Chapter Eight: Eavesdropping**

Oscar jolted awake, gasping. Another nightmare. He glanced around the bar room, his breathing slowly returning to normal. Soft yellow light peeked through the shutters on the windows. Dawn. The rhythmic drumming of heavy rain that he'd fallen asleep to had faded, replaced by faint birdsong. He tilted his head and listened.

_"It's a blackbird." _

"It's pretty. The crows around the barn scare off all the smaller birds." Oscar's voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "Except the robins." A small smile graced his face.

_"We ought to get moving soon. How far is the train station?" _

"About forty miles, give or take."

_"It'll be a two-day journey at this rate. You'll need more food and water." _

"I can grab some from the kitchen." Oscar stretched and began to gather his stuff together. He ran a hand over his shirt. "That's dry enough." A small puddle of water had formed beneath where he'd hung his clothes overnight.

Absent-mindedly, Oscar pulled his shirt on over his head, glad most of his clothes had dried out.

Footsteps echoed outside. Oscar froze, heart hammering. The sound of jangling keys just behind the door shocked him back into action, and he grabbed his bag, sprinting to the only hiding place in the room - behind the bar. He made it just as the door swung open.

"Are you sure you're alright helping me out with this?" The voice was deep and rough, like sandpaper, but the man's tone was surprisingly gentle.

"Don't worry Eddie, I'm fine." A woman replied. Oscar gasped quietly, then quickly pressed a hand over his mouth.

_"Your aunt is here?" _ Ozpin sounded shocked.

Oscar nodded silently.

"I know you've been through the mill Carol, and..." The man trailed off. He seemed at a loss for words. Chairs scraped across the floor, and Oscar pressed his back against the wall, tucking his legs in tight.

"I just-" Carol's voice cracked, and she took a deep, shaky breath. "I had no idea he had it in him." She finished quietly.

Oscar's hands started to tremble.

"They've had fights before, and I just kept out of it." She continued. "But this one was different. Something broke, and he..." Her voice trembled. "Oh gods, it was terrifying."

"It's over now, you're safe here." Eddie's voice held barely concealed desperation as he attempted to comfort her.

"But Oscar..." Terror filled her voice, and Oscar fought the urge to stand up.

"It's alright, it's alright." Eddie reassured her.

"I thought he was going to kill me." She whispered. "I just ran. When I went back later, they were both gone. I don't know what to think."

_She's really worried. _ Oscar thought, crouching paralyzed by the bar. He started to stand up.

_"Stop!" _ Ozpin's thunderous command stopped Oscar in his tracks. He fell back silently against the bar.

"I shouldn't have asked you to help me set up, I'm sorry. I'll take you back and Martin can make some tea, how about that?" Eddie coaxed gently.

"Perhaps that's a good idea." Carol said, just above a whisper. There was the noise of chairs being dragged across floorboards again, and footsteps.

"You're doing great, that's it." Eddie's voice faded into the distance as the door clicked shut. Oscar remained hidden, trembling in fear and anger.

"Why did you stop me?" He hissed. "She was worried about me, I could have-"

_"No." _ Ozpin cut across him. _ "She needs to be with new people, adults, who can support her." _

"I can help her!"

_"You would only be a burden! Do you want to remind her of everything she's suffered through?" _

Oscar opened his mouth, but no words sprang to his defence.

_"You would be a constant reminder of what Dean did to her, the years he took from you both. She would try to love you, but she'll never look at you again without seeing his hands around your neck." _

Tears welled up in Oscar's eyes. He stumbled back, hitting his head on the wall.

"No, no..." A sob escaped him. "She wouldn't, I'm not..." He trailed off, shoulders shaking with shallow, rapid breaths. "I'm not broken." He whispered. "I'm not."

Ozpin sighed heavily. _ "I didn't say that, Oscar. There's still hope for you. But you can't stay with your aunt, you would only be a burden. Besides, what good could you do in this place? I have given you a purpose, you could be a hero! Why would you squander such an opportunity on wasting your life as a farmhand who doesn't even have a family?" _

Oscar buried his head in his hands and sobbed. Pressure crushed his chest as he tried to muffle his ragged breathing. "I'm going crazy." He whispered, his voice raw.

_"You are not insane." _ Backtracking, Ozpin tried to soothe his panic. _ "The path that lies before will be full of challenges, but if you let me guide you I can promise that greatness will lie ahead as well." _

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Head bowed, Oscar twisted his hands in his lap. They slowly stopped shaking.

Footsteps echoed outside the door. Oscar sat bolt upright, listening hard. A click, and the door swung open. Slowly, he crept as far back behind the bar as he could. Shoes tapped on wood, moving across the room towards the bar. Oscar closed his eyes, praying that whoever it was didn't find him.

Glass shattered. Oscar looked up to see a young woman staring at him, mouth open. The broken remains of a few bottles lay at her feet. He threw an arm up in front of his face, shielding himself.

"Oscar?" The woman asked, disbelief written across her face.

_"Who's that?" _

"Angela. Martin and Eddie's daughter. She's nice." Oscar heard his own monotone voice and barely recognised it.

Angela's eyes narrowed. "Are you... talking to yourself?"

Oscar didn't answer. There was nothing he could say that wouldn't make him sound crazy. Angela reached out tentatively, and he cringed back, fear flickering across his face.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." She said, pulling back.

"But I might hurt you." Oscar whispered, pushing his back against the wall behind him. "I think I'm going crazy..."

"Oh gods, Carol was telling the truth." Angela's eyes widened, and she scrambled away from him.

"Truth about what?" Oscar mumbled, confused.

Picking up a piece of broken glass, Angela stood up and backed away.

"I don't know what's going through your head kid, but you need to stay away from Carol." Hot, hard anger overtook her fear, and she pointed the broken bottle at him.

Oscar froze, staring at the bottle.

_"Run, Oscar!" _ Ozpin shouted. Oscar sprang up, backpack in hand. Angela cried out and slashed forwards with the glass, turning her head away. He pushed past and ran for the door.

"Stay away from her!" She yelled, sprinting after him. They burst out onto the street. A few people were milling about outside and stopped to watch. A middle-aged man made a grab for Oscar's backpack and Oscar dodged with millimetres to spare. Heavy footfalls echoed behind him and he accelerated, arms and legs pumping in tandem. Vague shouts came from all around.

Chest heaving, he broke through the treeline and sprinted deeper into the forest. He ran until the voices faded and pain shot through his legs with every step. Weak with exhaustion, he collapsed against a tree and crumpled to the ground.

_"They're gone Oscar, you're safe." _

He nodded slightly, taking rapid breaths. Slowly, his heartbeat returned to normal. He whimpered and buried his head in his hands.

"What did I do?" A sob escaped his aching chest. "What did I do?"

_"I-" Ozpin_ sighed. _ "Carol has obviously told them about what happened. They want to protect her, and that includes keeping you away from her." _

"But why?"

_"You said it yourself. You're dangerous. A liability. It's better for both of you if you stay away from her, and everyone you once knew." _

A single tear trickled down Oscar's cheek. "I don't think I can face being alone." He admitted.

_"You will never be alone again. I'll never abandon you, I swear." _

"Thank you." Oscar mumbled, hugging his aching legs to his chest.


	9. Chapter 9: Talking to Strangers

**Chapter Nine: Talking to Strangers**

Another rainstorm had started before Oscar reached the shoddy wood and plaster building that passed as his region's only train station. Sheets of water hammered down. He stood beneath a wooden shelter, attempting to coax an ancient machine into giving him a ticket. With an irritating beep, a red error message flashed up on the screen.

"Stupid thing." He sighed. "I'm assuming whatever weird magic this is doesn't come with an infinite supply of money?"

_"I'm afraid you'll have to solve this one on your own." _

Oscar rolled his eyes and continued tapping at the screen.

_"Be on your guard." _

He looked up, head tilted. "What do you mean?"

"Here." A deep voice alerted Oscar to the presence of a tall, muscular dark-haired man. He trudged over to Oscar. Oscar realised the man towered above him, and promptly took a step back.

The man raised a huge fist. Eyes widening, Oscar flinched away and covered his face with his hands. There was a loud thud. Surprised nothing hurt, Oscar looked up. A fist-sized indent had appeared in the top of the machine.

_He punched it? _ Oscar thought, bewildered. He slowly straightened up, keeping a careful eye on the tall stranger. Beeping, the machine spat out a ticket that fluttered to the ground. Oscar glanced at it, then back at the man, who nodded slightly. Cautiously, Oscar slowly crouched down to pick it up. Cradling the ticked in one hand, he watched the man with narrowed eyes.

"Don't let such a small obstacle block your path." The man growled. In his deep, rough voice, it sounded very much like a threat. Lighting crackled nearby and he walked away into the rain, fading from view.

"That man." Oscar said, standing up. "I felt..." He flinched a little, briefly closing his eyes. "Who is he?"

_"Someone from my past. Someone who should not be taken lightly." _ Ozpin's tone was grave. Oscar looked up as a train thundered into the station.

"You know, this is better than I thought it'd be." Oscar sat on a soft red seat, gazing out of the train window at the countryside flashing by in an emerald blur.

_"How come?" _

"I've never actually been on a train before. I just kind of assumed it would be louder." Oscar fiddled with his backpack strap. "And it doesn't really feel like it's moving. I thought it would."

_"Ah, the wonders of modern technology." _ Ozpin said dryly.

"Ouch. Sarcasm overload."

_"I try." _

"Can you keep a lookout while I sleep?" Oscar whispered, curling up on the seat. "I'm exhausted."

_"I'll wake us up if there's any trouble." _ Ozpin promised.

"Okay..." Eyelids drooping, Oscar's head dropped to the table in front of him.

A door slammed. Oscar sat bolt upright, heart hammering.

_"Easy Oscar, it was just a door. You're still on the train." _

"How long was I out?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to slow his rapid breathing.

_"Roughly ten hours." _

"So it's pretty early in the morning?"

_"I believe so." _

"I haven't slept this long in ages." Oscar stretched, rolling his shoulders.

The carriage door in front of him burst open, slamming against the wall with a loud bang. Startled, Oscar threw his arms up to protect his face and turned his head away. His breathing hitched. For a moment he couldn't move, couldn't think.

"Hi!" An enthusiastic small voice shouted. Oscar blinked. A little girl, about five or six years old, was beaming brightly at him, her black frizzy hair barely held back by a thin red ribbon. He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but no words came out. His heart raced.

_"Oscar, you can relax. She can't hurt you." _

"Are you alright?" Another figure had appeared. Oscar focused and the figure resolved itself into a young woman, a concerned frown creasing her face. She was holding the little girl back with one hand. He took a deep, shaky breath and curled his hands in his lap. They shook.

"Kid?" The woman asked, kneeling down next to him.

"I'm fine, thank you." Oscar mumbled, stammering over the words.

"You don't look it." She said bluntly, shifting her bag from her shoulder.

Oscar looked down and realised the state he was in. Mud spattered his boots and there was a tear in his trouser leg just below his knee. Small bruises and scratches peppered his arms, and dark specs of what could be blood were flecked across his shirt.

"Mommy!" The little girl tugged at her sleeve. "I'm hungry!"

The woman rolled her eyes and, smiling slightly, handed the girl the bag. "Only one, Amber."

Grinning, Amber clambered onto a nearby seat and began to devour a large biscuit. Oscar watched the simple interaction with unfocused eyes.

"You still with us?" The woman asked. After a few seconds, Oscar nodded slightly. His heart rate was slowly returning to normal.

"Sorry about Amber, she's a little boisterous sometimes." Upon receiving no reaction from Oscar, the woman tried a different approach. "I'm Kat, by the way. We're on our way to Haven."

"I'm..." Oscar trailed off, considering whether he should lie or not.

_"Give a fake name." _ Ozpin advised.

"Lucas." Oscar said. "My name is Lucas."

"Okay, 'Lucas'." Kat shot him a suspicious glance. "When was the last time you ate?"

As if at the thought of food, his stomach growled.

"Yesterday." He lied.

"Would you like a biscuit? I'd rather Amber didn't eat them all, you know."

Oscar eyed the offered food with suspicious desperation. "Can I?" He asked, looking at the floor.

"They're not poisoned." Kat laughed, pushing one into his hands. He stared at it.

_"Go ahead. It won't kill you." _

Oscar slowly took a bite. His eyes lit up. Within seconds, the heaven-sent biscuit was gone, and he licked the sugary crumbs off his fingers.

"Thank you." He murmured, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Feeling better?" She asked.

"Yeah. I must have been tired, I guess."

"I hope Amber didn't give you too much of a shock."

"It's fine, don't worry." Oscar attempted a reassuring smile.

Kat tilted her head, raising one eyebrow. "Okay."

There was a brief pause. Oscar shifted in his seat. Amber, who had finished carefully disassembling her biscuit, wandered over and threw herself at her mother's legs.

"Ow!" Kat complained, rubbing her leg. "Baby, that hurt." She raised a hand above Amber's face. Oscar tensed. Amber stuck her tongue out. Breaking into laughter, Kat poked her daughter in the stomach gently.

"That was naughty!" She said in mock anger, unable to hide her smile. Oscar dropped his shoulders as the corners of his mouth slowly curled up into a cautious smile.

"She really loves her." He said quietly, barely above a whisper.

"Who wouldn't? She's adorable." Kat's smile abruptly faded. "Hey, are you alright?"

Oscar turned his head away, blinking fast. "I'm fine."

_"You need to get better at lying." _

"Sorry." Oscar mumbled. "I didn't mean to say that."

Conflicting emotions flickered across Kat's face. She frowned. "Where are your parents?" She asked hesitantly.

Oscar turned away, pulling his backpack into his lap and hugging it tight to his chest. "Not here." He set his jaw.

"I'm sorry." She reached out a hand, placing it gently on his knee. He pulled away.

"Don't be."

She sat back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sure they loved you very much."

Oscar looked her straight in the eyes, anger suddenly hardening his gaze. "You don't know that."

Taken aback, Kat opened her mouth in silent shock. Frowning, she closed it again, at a loss for words.

"Mommy?" Amber's worried little voice cut through Oscar's anger. She reached out, seeking reassurance. Kat picked her up, wordlessly quelling her anxiety.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get... Like that." Some of the tension in Oscar's limbs faded, and he tried an apologetic smile. "I just don't like talking about it."

"That's perfectly understandable." Kat smiled softly. "I shouldn't have bought it up."

"Is everything happy now?" Amber interjected, trying to climb onto the table.

"Yeah. Everything's happy." A small smile flickered across Oscar's face.

"Thanks for the biscuit."

"No problem, kid." She smiled at him, then scooped Amber up and shouldered her bag. "Glad I could help."

With a last frantic wave from Amber, they left the train carriage. As Oscar watched them go, the weight on his shoulders lessened, until it felt almost comfortable.

_"She was kind." _

"You sound surprised."

_"People are not often as good as they appear to be." _

Oscar rolled his eyes. "You are the most cynical person I have ever met."

_"Better than being dead." _

"You can't die."

_"You got me there." _ Ozpin laughed lightly, and Oscar found himself laughing alongside him.

Oscar pulled at the seat cover absent-mindedly. "What do I do when I get to Haven, anyway?"

_"Ultimately we will have to talk with Leonardo about a..." _ Ozpin hesitated. _ "A precious item I left in his possession." _

"What precious item?" Oscar made air quotation marks as he said it.

_"You may hear it referred to as a Relic." _

"That doesn't answer my question. What's a Relic?"

_"Sometimes, Oscar, you ask too many questions." _

"Sorry." Oscar mumbled to the floor, not sounding particularly apologetic.

Heavy footfalls echoed behind him. He jumped, twisting to face the person behind him. It was the tall man from the station.

"Is this seat taken?" The man said, waving a hand towards the seat opposite him. Oscar's brow furrowed slightly.

_"Oscar, I urge you, be careful. This man is dangerous." _ Ozpin sounded tense.

"I'll take that as a no." The man sat down. His seat creaked beneath him.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Oscar looked down, stammering over the words.

"Lost in thought?" The man smiled a little.

"Something like that." Oscar couldn't meet his eyes.

There was a pause. Nervously, Oscar picked at a dried bit of mud on his trousers.

The man let out an irritated snarl. Oscar looked up to see him glaring at a poster on the back of the door.

"Haven Academy. Be a hero." The man read from the poster with a dark expression. Shifting so his back was pressed to the wall, Oscar edged quietly away from him.

"The Huntsman Academies are death traps. There's nothing heroic about the brutal deaths of children." Knuckles white, the man curled his hands into fists.

Oscar turned his head away.

"Did you see what happened at the Vytal Festival?" The man's voice was a low growl.

"I heard..." Oscar stammered. He felt his heart thud in his chest and his breathing hitched. "Professor Ozpin and-"

The man slammed a fist down on the table, making Oscar flinch. "That monster." He snarled. "He should pay for what he's done."

_"Oscar, he's unstable. He carries a vendetta against me, and I do not want you getting involved." _ Ozpin ordered.

Oscar flattened himself against the wall, eyes screwed shut and face turned away.

"Hey, are you alright?" The anger left the man's voice as suddenly as it had appeared. He leant forwards slightly, brow furrowed.

Oscar opened his eyes slowly. He watched the man with practiced caution. "I'm fine." His voice was barely audible.

"Are you travelling with anyone?" The man's rough voice took on an edge of concern. "Your parents?"

Oscar's hands tightened around his backpack strap. "Not here." He looked down.

"I'm sorry to hear that kid." A surprising sincerity filled the man's words. "You got anyone looking out for you when you reach Haven?"

"I look out for me." Oscar looked him in the eyes.

"If you are, you're doing a terrible job." The man said, sitting up.

Oscar remembered the state he was in.

"Let me guess, it's not as bad as it looks?" The man raised an eyebrow. "Because it looks bad."

"I didn't notice." Oscar tried for a reassuring smile.

"Sure you didn't." The man reached into his bag. Oscar stiffened. "Easy kid, I won't hurt you."

_Like no one's ever said that to me before, _Oscar thought, eyes narrowed.

"Do you want something to eat?" The man rifled through his satchel. "I've got an apple, bread-"

Oscar's stomach rumbled. As delicious as Kat's biscuit had been, it wasn't very filling.

The man chuckled. "Bread it is." He pulled out a small loaf and tossed it over to him. Oscar caught it, head tilted slightly. It was the kind of soft, fluffy bread that seemed fresh from the oven. His mouth watered.

"I can eat this?" Oscar's voice was small and hesitant.

_"Although I urge you not trust him, it is highly unlikely that he has poisoned the food." _

"I gave it to you, didn't I?" The man pulled out an apple and began cleaning it on his sleeve.

Tentatively, Oscar pulled a tiny bit of bread off the loaf. He watched the man carefully. Nothing happened, so he slowly raised the piece of bread to his mouth and ate it. The man nodded encouragingly, bemused. Oscar ate faster, until abruptly there was none left.

"You were hungry." The man stated.

"It's really good bread." Mumbled Oscar, his mouth full.

"I'm Hazel. What's your name?"

Oscar swallowed. "Umm..." He hesitated.

_"Lie." _ Advised Ozpin. _ "It is better that he knows as little about you as possible." _

"I'm Lucas." He managed, twisting his hands in his lap.

"Why are you going to Haven?" The man's expression and tone were neutral.

Oscar stayed silent, wary again. He felt like he was being interrogated.

"I heard you talking before I came in. Was there someone else here?" Hazel leaned forward.

"I-" Oscar stammered.

_"Get out Oscar. Now!" _

Oscar flinched. "I was just thinking out loud," he mumbled.

"Are you going to meet someone in Haven?" Hazel's eyes narrowed.

"Please leave me alone." Oscar whispered, looking away. Every muscle in his body was tense, waiting.

"I won't hurt you, kid. Talk to me."

_What should I do? _ Oscar thought desperately, hoping Ozpin could hear him.

"Hey." The man laid a hand on Oscar's arm. "Talk."

Oscar closed his eyes tightly. "What do I do?" His voice was barely audible but Hazel saw his lips move.

"Speak up."

_"Just take your bag and run!" _

"I can't." Oscar said in a small voice. His hands shook.

Hazel sighed heavily. "Let's try this again. Why are you going to Haven?"

_"Say you're going to meet some distant relatives." _

"Family." Oscar stammered. "I'm going to look for my family."

"I thought you said your parents were gone?"

"My parents are, but..." Oscar took a shaky breath and looked up. "My dad's family is from Haven. I want to find them."

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Something like a smile flickered across Hazel's face.

"Why did you want to know?" Oscar tried to put some distance between himself and Hazel.

"You intrigue me."

Oscar swallowed, mouth dry. "I'm not that interesting."

"Funny." Hazel's gaze never wavered. "Uninteresting people generally don't have to say that."

_"You have to get out Oscar! Right now!" _

"What are you trying so hard to hide?" Hazel murmured.

_"Now, Oscar!" _

"Get away from me." Oscar looked Hazel straight in the eyes.

Hazel sat up. "What?"

"Get away from me!" Grabbing his backpack, Oscar stood up on his seat and jumped over the table to the comparative safety of the corridor. He sprinted for the door. As he reached it Hazel's hand slammed down next to him, holding it closed.

"Oh no you don't." Hazel towered over him.

"What do you want from me?" Oscar pressed his back against the door.

"I heard you say Relic. What do you know about the Relics?" Hazel's voice was a low snarl.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Oscar tried to pull away, but Hazel grabbed his wrist and pinned him against the door.

_"Don't tell him anything about me." _ Ozpin warned, speaking hurriedly. _ "He'll kill you if he thinks you have something to do with me." _

"How do you know about the Relics?" Wrapping a hand around Oscar's neck, Hazel forced him to look him in the eyes. "How?"

A tear slipped down Oscar's cheek and trickled down Hazel's hand. "Please..."

Hazel tightened his grip. Fighting for air, Oscar clawed at his neck with his one free hand.

"I could snap your neck in an instant, so when I ask you to tell me something, you tell me!" Hazel let go of Oscar's wrist and punched him in the chest. It was obvious he was holding back, but his fist hit Oscar like a brick and he gasped.

"Hey, what in Remnant is going on here?" A woman stood at the other end of the carriage; a pistol worn at her hip. She wore a dark blue coat, embroidered with the Mistral Police Force's coat of arms.

With a snarl, Hazel dropped Oscar. He crumpled to the floor.

Hazel turned to the woman, fists clenched. "Mind your own business."

"If it happens on this train it's my business." She reached for the gun at her side.

Hazel glanced over his shoulder at where Oscar lay slumped, back pressed against the door. "This will only take a minute."

"Step away from the kid." The woman raised her gun, eyes narrowed.

Hazel's scroll rang. Brow furrowed, he fished it out of his pocket and answered it. "It's Hazel." A pause. "No, I'm well aware of-" He sighed. "Yes, I understand. I will." He replaced it in his pocket.

The woman stared blankly, gun still in hand.

Hazel turned to Oscar, who tried to scramble away. He knelt. "It's a shame I never got my answer, huh?" Oscar's eyes were wide as Hazel reached for him.

"That's enough!" The woman yelled. "Hands up!"

Hazel sighed. He grabbed Oscar by the shirt, throwing him to the side. Oscar collided with the table and cried out. Pulling open the door, Hazel glanced over his shoulder at the woman. "Don't follow me."

She held her gun steady, pointed at his retreating figure. He wrenched open the outside door in the partition between the carriages. The ground raced by. He jumped, and quickly disappeared from view. The woman walked over and closed the door, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Is he gone?" Oscar's voice was barely above a whisper. He knelt on the floor; one hand wrapped around his aching chest.

"Yeah, don't worry, I've got you." She knelt down next to him. "Are you alright?"

"I don't think I have any broken ribs, so that's good." Oscar attempted a smile.

"I'm Viridian, by the way. " She smiled softly, a worried frown creasing her forehead. "Did you know him?"

"He bought my ticket at the station, but..." Oscar trailed off, shrugging.

_"Be careful what you say. You do not know if she can be trusted." _

"Do you know why he was hurting you?" Concern filled her voice.

"No. He just snapped." Oscar wrapped his arms around himself.

Viridian frowned. "You don't have to worry now, okay? I'll stay with you until we get to Haven, if you want."

"Please." Oscar's voice was small.

"Are you travelling with anyone?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Right." Her concern deepened. "Are you meeting someone in Haven?"

Oscar stiffened. He pulled away from her, trying to stand up.

"Hey, easy!" She caught him as he stumbled. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, okay?" She lowered him onto a nearby seat.

_"Don't tell her anything." _

"Okay." Oscar shifted on the seat. "Can I have my backpack, please? It's over there." He pointed.

"Of course." She smiled and turned away, moving to get it.

"Oz, what in Remnant was that about?" Oscar hissed under his breath once Viridian was out of earshot.

_"I told you he was dangerous. I meant it." _

"That's not an answer."

_"Once we get to Haven, I'll explain more. Now is not the place or the time." _

Oscar narrowed his eyes.

"Kid?" Viridian frowned. "You okay?" She handed him the backpack. "You were talking to yourself."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"Are you sure you're alright?" She sat down opposite him.

"I do that sometimes, sorry. Just thinking out loud." Oscar smiled nervously.

Viridian raised an eyebrow, but didn't question him further. The radio on her belt crackled. "Viridian, come in Viridian."

She shot Oscar an apologetic glance and brought it to her mouth. "Viridian here."

"Saffron here. What's your status? Did a man jump out of the train?"

"He did, but trust me we're better off without him. He attacked a kid."

"Dear gods. Is the kid okay?"

"He's not badly injured, just bruised." Viridian glanced at Oscar. "He's travelling alone, so I think I should stay with him for a bit."

"Copy that."

"Over and out." Viridian smiled softly and replaced the radio on her belt, turning to Oscar. "That was Saffron, the driver."

"Oh, right." Oscar fiddled with his sleeve.

"I should go and check on the other passengers, but I'll be back in a second, okay?"

He nodded. "I'll be fine."

"Awesome." She got up and walked to the door. With a last glance back at Oscar, she opened it and stepped through, disappearing from view.

"Now can we talk?" Oscar hissed at Ozpin.

_"I don't see what there is to talk about." _

"Hello? I was just attacked? By a guy you know?" Oscar gestured to the door, eyes wide.

_"Knew. Past tense." _

"Something tells me he doesn't think that. What aren't you telling me?"

_"I'm telling you exactly what you need to know. You ought to pay attention." _

"I've followed you this far. I've given you my trust. The least you can do is trust me!"

_"Careful, you're speaking loudly." _

Oscar sighed. "I'm never going to get a straight answer from you, am I?"

_"When the time is right, you will learn everything." _

"You just proved my point for me."

Ozpin stayed silent. Rolling his eyes, Oscar settled down and waited for Viridian to return.


	10. Chapter 10: Hello, Haven

**Chapter Ten: Hello, Haven**

Breathless with wonder, Oscar stood gaping at the huge mountains and beautiful buildings of Haven. From the train station's wide windows, he could see almost the entire city. Steel grey mountains rose into the sky, emerald trees and multicoloured buildings peppering their sides. Market stalls lined the streets, selling everything from gold handled knives to little bread rolls in the shape of mice. The noise was overwhelming, a beat of life that rose and fell with the rhythm of the city. Flocks of small birds raced each other through the satin sky, blurring into clouds that twisted in the still air.

_"I take it that you like Haven?" _

"I've never seen anywhere so big..." Oscar gazed wide-eyed at the bustling streets around him.

_"Wait until you see the Academy." _

"Are we going there now?" Oscar's excitement built.

_"Almost. There's someone we need to talk to first." _

"Who?"

_"His name is Qrow Branwen. He should be here, I gave him very clear instructions." _

"Where exactly do you think he'll be?"

_"My guess is the nearest place that sells alcohol." _

Oscar shot a sceptical glance at the floor. "That just fills me with confidence."

_"Don't worry." _

Oscar looked around the station building, attempting to hide his awe at the building's immense size. Glancing at his surroundings, he realised that people were shooting him suspicious looks and speed walking past as quickly as they could.

"Oz, I feel like everyone's staring at me."

_"Well you are talking loudly to mid-air, so..." _

"I look like I've gone insane."

_"Unfortunately so." _

Oscar groaned quietly. "Why me?" He shifted his backpack to a slightly more comfortable position and looked around for the exit.

There were three bars within a ten-minute walk of Haven Academy, but it was outside the second one that Ozpin told Oscar to stop.

_"Here." _

"How can you tell?" Oscar whispered.

Ozpin didn't answer.

"Fine, have it your way." Cautiously, Oscar pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside.

A dark-haired man sat alone at the bar, leaning on the wood with drooping shoulders. A massive sword was sheathed behind him, poking out from either side of his tattered red cloak.

_"That's him." _

Oscar stopped just out of sight. He watched the man carefully, with narrowed eyes.

_"He won't hurt you." _

Oscar glared silently at the door.

_"Ask him for your cane back." _

"What?" Oscar whispered.

_"Say, "I would like my cane back." Go on, do it." _

Rolling his eyes and cursing the gods, Oscar took a few tentative steps towards the bar.

"Excuse me?" He stumbled over the words a little. The man looked up from the drink he was curled over and turned to face him.

"You know, I don't think they allow kids in here, pipsqueak." His voice was low and rough, but not aggressive. Just tired.

_"Say it." _ Ozpin urged.

"Shut up, I'm getting there." Oscar said quietly, looking at the floor. The man gave him a quizzical look.

"I'm supposed to tell you..." He trailed off, looking at the floor. The man sat up a little straighter. "I'd like my cane back?"

Shock flickered across the man's face and his eyes widened. Then, smiling slightly, he nodded. He stood up and Oscar took a cautious step back. The man brought a hand to his waist and unclipped a cylindrical silver object. He weighed it in his hand, a small smile curling his lip.

"It's good to see you again Oz." He tossed the cylinder to Oscar, who caught it carefully. Wide eyed, he watched it lengthen out into a cane with a mechanical click. The engraved silver handle sat, perfectly balanced, in his right hand.

"I'm not going crazy?"

"No kid, you're not." The man smiled more widely, warmth in his eyes. "But your life did just get very, very complicated."

"Yeah..."

_"He'll probably have a celebratory drink or twenty now, so I'd keep an eye on him." _

"Wait, what? Oz!" Oscar looked to the man in desperation.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced." The man extended a hand. "The name's Qrow Branwen."

After a second's pause, Oscar shook his hand. "I'm Oscar Pine. Oz told me who you were but he didn't tell me much else."

"He told you I'd be in a bar?" Qrow guessed.

"Umm..." Oscar looked down, rubbing the back of his hand.

"Don't worry kid, I'll only have one." Smiling, Qrow reached over the bar to grab another bottle. Oscar carefully sat at a nearby table, watching him out of the corner of his eye. One bottle turned to two, and by the time Qrow had run out of reachable alcohol Oscar had already begun to scope out the nearest exit.

_"Stay." _ Ozpin ordered.

"The only thing that's keeping me here," whispered Oscar angrily, "is the fact that that alcoholic seems to know a hell of a lot more about this than you'll tell me."

_"You will need to walk him home soon, you know that, right?" _

Oscar cast a wary glance at the giggling mess that was once a formidable huntsman. "If he kills me, I'm coming back and killing you." Oscar muttered.

_"It doesn't work like that." _

"Please shut up."

Knocking on the huge wooden door of Qrow's current address, Oscar contemplated running. _ Gods, this looks intimidating, _he thought. He heard slow footsteps from inside. The door swung open. Behind it stood a young man with scruffy blond hair. He was clad in white and gold armour, over a black hoodie and jeans. _ Definitely a huntsman. _ Oscar began to feel a lot more nervous. Behind him, a young woman and man of around the same age sat upright on a red sofa. The auburn-haired woman's hands were curled in her vivid pink skirt. Shifting in his seat, the man glanced up, the wary look in his eyes almost obscured by his long black hair. The blond man looked back at them. Shrugging her shoulders, the woman shot him a confused look.

"Can I help you?" The blond man asked.

_"Say you're looking for Ruby Rose. She is Qrow's niece." _

"Umm..." Oscar twisted his hands together nervously. "Is there a Ruby Rose here?"

The man and woman on the sofa stood up slowly. "Why?" The woman asked, her voice low and tense. The man's gloved hands curled into fists.

"Well..." Oscar tried to hide his shaking hands.

At that moment, Qrow stumbled into the doorframe, holding Oscar's shoulder for support and laughing.

"I found him!" Qrow ruffled Oscar's hair and giggled.

"I think her uncle could use some help..." Oscar took a step back, pointing in Qrow's direction.

_And I'm not just talking about short term, _he thought to himself, watching as Qrow stumbled into the house and collapsed on the sofa. The three young adults looked on with bemused expressions.

"I found him." Qrow threw an arm over his eyes dramatically, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"What is going on out there?" A teenage girl stomped into the room, hands balled into fists. Her dramatic red and black clothes marked her as a huntress, despite her age. A silver rose insignia pinned her tattered scarlet cape to her short black dress.

_I'm guessing that's Ruby Rose. _ Oscar thought.

"Can't a girl read her comics in peace?" She asked, her irritation evident in her strained voice.

Qrow burped. Suddenly noticing him, Ruby brought a hand to her face and sighed.

"Qrow, did you get drunk again?" Her voice was heavy with exasperation.

"Maybe..." Qrow said, with the tone of a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. He lay sprawled on the sofa, legs up on the armrest.

_This sounds like a normal event, _thought Oscar. _ This isn't going to go well for me, is it? _

Everyone turned to look at Oscar, who was still standing in the doorway. Ruby faced him, a sceptical look on her face, and he suddenly noticed the vibrant, metallic silver of her eyes. He'd never seen anything quite like them.

_"Go on, say what you're thinking." _ Ozpin advised.

"You have silver eyes..." Oscar marvelled, his voice quiet. He took a step forwards into the room, towards Ruby.

"Who are you?" She asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

Qrow laughed quietly.

"Ah, well... My name is Oscar Pine..." Oscar shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the floor.

_"Go on, say it." _ Ozpin urged.

"Wait for it..." Muttered Qrow.

"But you probably know me as... Professor Ozpin?" Oscar looked up, cautious optimism in his eyes.

Ruby stared, wide eyed, and the blond man took a step back.

"I did it!" Qrow yelled, grinning broadly. He flung his arms up in the air in celebration and promptly fell off the sofa. The orange-haired woman winced.

The young hunters rushed over to help him, and Oscar retreated into a corner, watching.

"Who are these people? You never actually told me their names." Oscar spoke quietly to Ozpin, hoping the others didn't notice.

_"The silver eyed girl is Ruby Rose, although you probably already guessed from her emblem. Despite her age she's a formidable huntress, and was the leader of her team at Beacon Academy. _"

Oscar nodded slightly, listening.

_"The young blond man is Jaune Arc. Wasn't the best fighter to begin with, but became quite a skilled strategist over time." _

"He's armed to the teeth in his own living room." Oscar whispered, raising an eyebrow.

_"He takes great pride in being a huntsman, and it does pay to be prepared in this line of work." _

"Okay..."

_"The red-haired woman is Nora Valkyrie. She's an impressive fighter, and the team's heavy hitter. You would do well to stay on her good side." _

"Not feeling very reassured Oz."

_"Don't worry, she'll only break your legs if you hurt her friends." _

"I really hate that I can't tell when you're joking." Oscar glared at the ground.

_"The dark-haired young man is Lie Ren, Ren to his friends. Another skilled fighter, perhaps the most in control of his abilities. He's known Nora since they were children." _

"Anything else I need to know?"

_"Follow my lead. Be careful who you trust, and reveal only necessary information." _

"That doesn't sound ominous at all."


	11. Chapter 11: I'll Be Fine

**Chapter Eleven: I'll Be Fine**

"Did he age backwards?"

"He's possessed!"

"Or reincarnated..."

"Isn't it weird?"

The young hunters were clustered around Oscar, staring at him with a mixture of suspicion and amazement.

Oscar shrank back in his seat.

"It is very weird, yes." He looked down, curling his hands in his lap.

"Okay, okay!" Qrow walked slowly into the room, holding a mug in one hand. "Let's all just take a second and remember that this is very overwhelming for everyone." He smiled kindly at Oscar, who shot him a relieved glance. The young hunters hastily jumped back a few steps, muttering apologies.

"Thanks." Oscar said, smiling softly at Qrow.

Ruby sat down and made eye contact with Oscar. She giggled nervously. Oscar smiled, then looked away quickly.

"Sorry." He leaned forwards, hunching his shoulders. "It's just... I've never really met huntsmen and huntresses before."

"Well, we've never met a person with two souls, so first times all around." Ruby shrugged a little. Oscar smiled.

Qrow cleared his throat. "Not to break up the whole getting to know you game, but we need to have a talk."

Oscar turned to face him.

"Mind showing us your little parlour trick, kid?" Qrow asked.

Oscar groaned quietly. "Yeah, okay." He looked up. "Just so you know, I'll still be here."

Jaune and Ren shared a confused glance.

Oscar took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _ Go on Oz, _he thought, _they're waiting for you. _

_"This may feel strange." _

Light flashed around Oscar, a blanket of green that resembled the northern lights on a dark, cold night. Then it was gone, and Oscar's eyes opened.

"It is so very good to see you again, students." Oscar's voice held an unearthly echo, oddly deep. He smiled, sitting up straight and placing his hands on the chair's armrests.

The young hunters looked at each other in shock.

"Wait, what just happened?" Jaune asked, stepping forwards.

"Professor Ozpin?" Ren asked hesitantly.

"Correct, and although I may be the one speaking, Oscar is still present mentally. He's merely handed over the controls, so to speak."

_"Just don't make us do anything embarrassing." _ Oscar pleaded. He felt his own voice echo in his head, but his mouth didn't move.

"I'm afraid this must be very perplexing." Ozpin leaned forward.

"And alarming, and bizarre, and just really kind of hard to believe overall!" Nora gestured wildly.

Ozpin laughed. "It's good to see you children still have your sense of humour." His face fell slowly. "I know you've all been through tremendous hardship already. I'm sorry." Momentarily, his voice took on that unearthly echo again. He looked down at the floor.

"I mean, it's not your fault." Ruby looked him in the eyes.

"It's all my fault." Ozpin's head was bowed. Qrow stood up, and walked away. "I told you once that I made more mistakes than any man, woman and child on this planet - and I wasn't exaggerating." He lifted his hands, studying them sadly. "I'm cursed. For thousands of years I have walked the surface of Remnant, living, dying and reincarnating in the body of a like-minded soul." He looked up briefly. "The Professor Ozpin you all met was not my first form, and clearly wasn't my last. It's an extraordinarily strenuous process, on everyone involved."

"So who... What are you?" Jaune narrowed his eyes.

"I am the combination of countless men who have spent their lives trying to protect the people of Remnant."

Qrow re-entered the room, holding a steaming mug carefully in one hand. He passed it to Ozpin, who took it with a grateful nod.

"With every rebirth, my soul is eventually merged with another, and I am changed. But my memories stay with me." He looked down into the mug. Studying his reflection, Oscar gazed at his eyes. A faint yellow light seemed to shine from them, turning them from hazel-green to gold.

"This curse was bestowed upon me by the gods, because I failed to stop Salem in the past." Ozpin looked up, determination set in his voice. "But we must stop her now."

"How do we do that?" Ruby asked.

Ozpin sat back in his chair, crossing his legs. "We start by ensuring the safety of the relic of knowledge."

"This is perfect!" Exclaimed Nora, staring at Ozpin with boundless enthusiasm. "We were stuck at a dead end, but now we can just take little cute boy Ozpin to Lionheart and have him set things straight!"

"Please don't call me that." Ozpin glanced reproachfully at Nora.

"We're not sure that's the best idea." Qrow leaned back on his chair.

Nora groaned and stomped to the sofa, slumping down in it with her arms crossed.

"But I thought the headmasters all took their orders from you?" Ren tilted his head, looking at Ozpin.

"That was the intention. Four lieutenants I can trust, especially during times of reincarnation. But Qrow told me about your meeting with Leonardo." Ozpin stood, and began to pace. "He isn't just behaving irrationally; he's disobeying specific instructions I left him." He frowned. "Something's wrong. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I don't want to rule out any possibilities either. No one outside of this room knows that I have paired with Oscar, and I think it may be best to keep it that way."

"Play things close to the chest until we get a better hand." Qrow leaned forward.

"Precisely." Ozpin turned to face the group. "Now, we have two steps ahead of us. The first is enlisting the aid of more huntsmen."

Ren stood up. "But the Mistral Council-"

"Doesn't own every huntsman in the kingdom," interjected Qrow, "and I've been here enough times to know where we can find some more."

"So long as they're trustworthy." Ozpin narrowed his eyes at Qrow.

Qrow smirked. "You can trust them to put up a good fight. I'll throw together a list tonight." He leaned back and placed his feet on the table. The wood splintered and, with a brittle crack, it broke. He groaned.

"Good luck with that," quipped Nora.

Scowling, Qrow bent down to clear up the mess.

"After that, we can move on to step two." Ozpin paced across the room again.

"What's step two?" Nora asked, standing up.

Ozpin drew his cane. "Getting you four into fighting shape."

Ruby shared a nervous glance with her team. "But we already know how to fight."

Ozpin pointed his cane at her face, and she flinched away from it. "You can only fight so long as you have Crescent Rose, but you're still lacking in hand-to-hand combat."

Her face fell slightly. "Well, uh... yeah..."

"Mr Arc." Ozpin turned his cane on Jaune. "I'm glad to hear you have improved, but sorry to say you have yet to unlock your semblance."

Jaune looked away, eyes narrowed.

"All of you still have a way to go before you're ready to pose any real threat against Salem and her forces," Ozpin said, slowly pointing the cane at each of them in turn. "And though Oscar can give me temporary control, he'll need to strengthen this body and his aura."

_Wait, what? _ Oscar thought.

"He'll inherit my muscle memory in time, but practice will expedite the process." Ozpin leaned on the cane, smiling.

"But if Qrow's out looking for huntsmen then who's going to teach us?" Ruby wondered aloud.

Ozpin leapt into the air, gracefully curling backwards in a flip that would have put a professional gymnast to shame. He landed on his chair, one hand on his hip. "Well," he said, spinning his cane in his free hand, "I believe I was the headmaster of Beacon Academy."

Jaune's jaw dropped, as did Ren's. Ruby stared in amazement.

"We have approximately one month until classes resume at Haven," continued Ozpin, still spinning his cane. "If Salem were to plan an attack, it would make sense that it occurred prior to the students' return. It's not much time, but it's better than nothing." He stopped the cane's spin, holding it firmly in one hand. "Just don't expect me to go easy on you." He smirked.

Green light washed over Ozpin, and when he opened his eyes again the yellow glow was gone. Oscar gasped. Unbalanced, he fell backwards off the chair, dropping the cane.

"Ugh..." He groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Oscar?" Ruby held out her hand. "You're back?"

"I'm back." He affirmed. "Oz, what on Remnant was that?"

_"I told you I wouldn't go easy on you." _

Rolling his eyes, Oscar reached out to grab Ruby's offered hand. She pulled him up.

"So, he's talking to you? In your head, I mean."

"Yeah." Oscar pushed the chair back upright. "I thought I was going crazy when I first heard him." He attempted a wry smile.

"Well, at least you know you're not insane, right?" Nora shrugged.

"Give me a minute to get over the fact that a thousand-year-old man reincarnated inside my head, and I reckon I'll be fine."

Ruby giggled, trying to muffle her laughter. Oscar smiled.

Oscar woke up early in the morning and was already on his second mug of hot cocoa when Qrow stumbled into the kitchen. Sitting at the table, Oscar stiffened.

"Morning kid." Qrow said, his voice hushed.

"Good morning," Oscar stared into his mug.

Qrow began rummaging through the cupboards. "You seen any food?" He asked.

"I'm sorry," Oscar stammered slightly, getting up, "I should have made you something. I can do it now, if you'd like."

Qrow raised his hands, both palms flat and facing towards Oscar. "Kid, chill. You've been here for a day, I don't expect you to start cooking all the meals."

"Oh, okay. Sorry." Oscar sat down again, watching Qrow out of the corner of his eye.

"You know," Qrow began, pulling some bread out of a cupboard, "you apologize a hell of a lot for a teenager. I should know, I used to teach them."

"It's nothing, just being polite."

"Bread?" Qrow asked, pointing to the loaf. "There's butter if you want it, too."

"Yes, please."

_"You know, Qrow's a good person. Do you think I would have trusted him with my students if he wasn't?" _

"I know, Oz." Oscar hissed quietly, curling his hands tighter around his mug.

Qrow glanced over. "You say something?"

"I was talking to Ozpin," Oscar said hesitantly, "he wanted to… remind me of something."

Handing Oscar a plate of bread, Qrow put the butter on the table. His foot caught on the table leg and he stumbled, grabbing the table next to Oscar's hand to stop himself from falling. Oscar flinched away, pulling his hands down into his lap.

"Sorry, I tripped." Qrow apologized, righting himself.

Oscar said nothing, gripping his wrist tightly. Qrow sat down a little heavily, and he flinched imperceptibly.

"You know," Qrow said with narrowed eyes, picking up a piece of bread, "I've been a huntsman for a long time, and I pride myself on being able to read people. You're nervous, but only awkward around the other teens. Around me, you won't stop flinching. Why? Oz hasn't said anything, has he?"

_"Speak your mind Oscar. You can trust Qrow." _

Oscar fiddled with his mug. "Ozpin says that I can trust you. But..." He trailed off, tucking his feet under his chair.

"You can trust me, Oscar." Qrow insisted.

"I don't have the best history with huntsmen and alcohol." Oscar mumbled, glancing up at him.

"Oh, kid..." Qrow's sceptical expression softened. "I'm sorry if I got a bit out of hand last night. I didn't break anything, did I?"

"No, you didn't." Voice small, Oscar fiddled with his gloves.

"I'm sober now, if that helps?" Qrow offered with an awkward smile.

"He was usually worse sober." Oscar's voice was barely audible.

"He?" Brow furrowed, Qrow leaned forward slightly.

"I shouldn't have said anything," Oscar backtracked frantically. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't apologize. Say what you want to me, I'm not like him."

"I don't know that."

_"He's not going to hurt you." _

"I don't know that!" Oscar curled his hands into fists.

"Kid?" Concerned, Qrow leaned forward.

"Ozpin keeps telling me that I can trust you," Oscar hissed through gritted teeth, "but I..." He hung his head. "I can feel how much he trusts you, and how annoyed he is at me. It's all too much..."

_"I'm not annoyed with you." _ Ozpin insisted. Oscar ignored him.

"Hey, we can take this slow, if you want. I'll tell the team to go easy on you."

"No!" Oscar's eyes widened. Qrow sat back a little in surprise. "Please don't tell the others, I don't want them to know." Oscar sat up. "I came here for a fresh start. It's just going to take a while for me to settle in."

"If you insist," Qrow said, "but I'll try to make you feel a little more comfortable. I can't say I'll stop drinking, but I won't get blackout drunk while you're here, okay?"

"You don't need to..."

"I'm going to do it anyway." Qrow smiled. "We can't have the newest member of the team wincing every time I walk in the room."

_"I told you he was trustworthy." _ Ozpin sounded smug.

"Thanks," Oscar said, the corner of his mouth curling up in a little, cautious smile, "I really appreciate it."

* * *

**Notes:** Thank you for reading! Please review, all feedback is welcome :)

Oh look, the comfort part of hurt/comfort finally showed up! I'm 100 per cent here for Qrow and Oscar's awkward friendship, I love them.


	12. Chapter 12: The Kindest People

**Chapter Twelve: The Kindest People**

Oscar ducked, blocking a punch from Ruby. They were outside a dojo, mid training, and Ruby was not holding back. They exchanged punches and kicks, mirroring each other's moves.

"Man, Oz wasn't kidding," remarked Jaune, leaning against the dojo wall, "Oscar's picking up on this stuff fast."

Nora smiled, propping herself up with her hammer. A few feet away, Ren sat cross-legged, eyes closed.

Oscar swung a well-aimed punch that connected with Ruby's jaw. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" He reached out a hand in apology. She snarled and sent a left hook straight into his face. He flew backwards, landing sprawled on the ground a few meters away.

Jaune and Nora winced.

"Yes, I did it!" Ruby yelled triumphantly.

Oscar groaned quietly.

"Oscar?" She turned towards him, concerned.

Oscar brought a hand to his forehead.

_"You forgot to engage your aura again." _ Ozpin advised.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Frustrated, Oscar raised his voice.

_"Because this method makes you less likely to forget." _

_Sadist, _Oscar thought. He sat up, rubbing the side of his face.

_"Mind if I give it a shot?" _

Oscar's eyes glowed yellow, and his face took on an expression of practiced smugness. "Not bad, Miss Rose," Ozpin said, "but Oscar doesn't have the years of training that you do. Or I do." He smirked. Green energy rippled over his skin, and he stood up. Jaune and Nora shared an apprehensive glance.

"Maybe we should take a break?" Ruby backed away slowly, hands outstretched.

Ozpin raced towards her. Ruby threw an arm up to block him, and attempted to counter his punches. One connected with her jaw. She stumbled back. Ozpin jumped, throwing a kick at her head. She tried to dodge, and fell back onto the dusty ground. She slammed a fist into the dirt in irritation, then leapt back up. She jumped, aiming a punch at Ozpin's face. He ducked, then pushed up, headbutting her in the chin.

"Ouch..." Muttered Nora. Jaune winced.

Ruby lay sprawled on the ground.

"The next time you want to throw a left cross, remember to push off with the appropriate foot." Ozpin smirked. "And as always, do be aware of any openings."

"Got it..." Ruby mumbled, her voice strained.

Ozpin's eyes flashed yellow, and with a gasp Oscar fell to his knees, back in control.

Ruby rushed over. "Hey, are you okay?" She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How is this so exhausting?" He said, breathing heavily.

"Your body isn't used to this kind of training," Ren said, still sitting cross-legged in the shade of a small tree, "not to mention generating a defensive aura on your own."

Oscar sat up.

"It takes intense concentration at first, but in time it will become second nature, allowing you to deflect attacks and gradually heal your own wounds." Ren smiled slightly. "After that, you can begin focusing on your semblance, whatever that may be."

"Semblance?" Oscar muttered.

"You know!" Nora interjected. "Like your very own superpower. Everybody's got one, it's just a matter of finding it and mastering it." She gestured to Ruby. "Ruby moves super fast, electricity makes me stronger, Ren can mask emotions and Jaune can..." Her face fell.

Jaune looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. "I can't do-"

"Jaune's like you!" Ruby cut across him, pulling Oscar over. "He hasn't found his semblance yet, but we all know he will." She smiled brightly at him, and he returned her smile gratefully. "And you will too." Ruby turned to Oscar. "We all just have to try and help each other get stronger."

A small smile settled on Oscar's face. "Cool."

"A common philosophy," Ren said, "is that a warrior's semblance is a part of who they are. Some say your personality and character can define your semblance, while some claim that it's the other way around. Of course, there are still many who don't see a connection at all."

"It's hard to know when you know sometimes," Nora said, one hand on her hip. "Ren's semblance was unlocked from intense stress."

"And mine kicked in during training one day." Ruby offered.

"What about you?" Oscar asked, turning to Nora.

"Oh, struck by lightning, didn't die. Crazy Thursday." She smiled awkwardly.

Ren stood up.

Jaune looked sadly at the ground. "I just don't understand what's wrong with me. I train, I meditate..."

Oscar's eyes flashed yellow, and Ozpin spoke. "Don't worry Mr Arc, your journey is far from over. And the same might be said for all of you. Unlocking your semblance isn't the end, it can still grow and evolve. Provided you're willing to put in the work, who knows what could happen?"

"Then let's get back to it." Ruby said enthusiastically, a confident smile on her face.

* * *

"Here you go." Ruby smiled, handing Oscar a glass of water.

"Thanks." Oscar accepted it gratefully.

She sat down next to him with her own glass, leaning against the dojo wall.

"You studied at Beacon Academy, right?" Oscar asked hesitantly.

"Yeah." Ruby looked down.

Oscar sat up straighter. "What was Ozpin like? As a teacher, I mean."

"Isn't he in your head?" Ruby twisted to look at him. "Don't you know what he's like?"

"He doesn't really tell me much." Oscar fiddled with his glass. "It's weird. It's like he knows everything about me, and he's listening to everything I say - he can even read my thoughts! But I don't know anything about him." He wrapped his arms around his chest.

"That does sound pretty weird, yeah." Ruby shot him a sympathetic glance.

_"I don't wish to intrude on your life Oscar, but I have no choice." _ Ozpin didn't sound apologetic.

"It doesn't make it any better, Oz." Oscar hissed, curling his hands around his glass.

"Oscar?" Ruby frowned.

"Sorry, I didn't mean..." He sighed. "He was talking, in my head. It's really hard to ignore him, and he doesn't seem to hear me if I just think at him." He brought a hand to his head in frustration. "And when I talk out loud to him, people look at me like I'm crazy."

"I don't think you're crazy." She offered, placing a hand on the ground next to him.

"Yeah, but you know the truth. And that's worse." Oscar crossed his legs. "It's almost funny. Your old headmaster is the voice in my head."

Concern flickered across her face. She shifted closer to him, a worried frown creasing her brow. "Hey..."

"So, what was he like?" Oscar turned to her. "Tell me anything."

"Well, he was pretty intense when I first met him." Ruby looked up at the sky. "You know, the first thing he said to me was that I had silver eyes. Just like you." She glanced at him. "He offered me a place at Beacon, even though I was two years younger than everyone else, just because he saw me take on a bunch of guys who were robbing a dust shop."

"Wait, what?" Oscar looked at her in disbelief.

"I nearly caught Torchwick, their leader, too." Ruby's hands curled tightly around her glass. Then she looked up, and a bright spark was back in her eyes. "But, anyway, after Ozpin saw what I could do he wanted to talk to me."

"What did he say?"

She frowned in concentration. "He was interested in Crescent Rose, my weapon, and knew that my uncle had trained me just by watching me fight. He seemed kind and generous, but scarily intelligent at the same time." Looking down into her glass, she smiled softly. "He made me leader of team RWBY, and reassured me that it wasn't a mistake. I guess, he showed me how to be a huntress."

_"She has made an excellent leader." _

Oscar shifted uncomfortably, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs.

Ruby shot him a concerned glance. "You okay?"

"Oz is still talking in my head, and I am really done with how weird it feels." Oscar sighed heavily.

"Maybe try not to think about it?" Ruby offered, shrugging slightly.

"Seems like my only option right now, huh?" Oscar mumbled to the floor.

_"I am afraid so." _

"For the love of the gods Oz can you please not do that!"

Ruby laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Sorry." She apologized, trying to hide her smile.

Unable to stop himself, Oscar laughed too. "Thanks, Ruby."

She stood up quickly, gesturing to Oscar's glass. "Hey, do you want me to take that upstairs for you?"

"Oh, yeah." He handed it to her. "Thank you."

"No problem." With a fleeting smile, she disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Oscar yelled and swung the cane down hard. Breathing heavily, he straightened up and repeated the strike. A cool breeze wafted through the dojo and ruffled his hair.

"You're really getting better, huh?" Ruby appeared at the doorway. Oscar looked up. "Are you hungry? It's almost dinner time."

"Uh, yeah, that sounds good." Oscar rubbed the back of his neck. "I was about to call it a night anyway."

"So," Ruby said conversationally, "you've never fought before?"

"Just the occasional small Grimm. Nothing like this though." He looked down, voice quiet.

"Well, you look like a natural." Smiling awkwardly, she walked over to him.

"It's strange," Oscar said, studying the cane in his hand, "I've only had this cane for a few weeks, but I feel like I've had it for a lifetime. Longer, even." He sighed and hung his head. "I sound like a crazy person..."

"Yeah, just a little." Ruby shrugged. "But, at this pace, you'll be combat ready in no time!" Her face fell suddenly, the enthusiasm draining out of her expression.

Oscar's eyes widened in concern and he took a step forward. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words.

"Well," Ruby said, turning away, "I'll see you upstairs."

"How do you handle all of this?"

Oscar's outburst caused her to stop and look back.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was small.

"I'm... scared." Oscar looked at her with wide eyes. "I'm more scared than I've ever been in my life, than I ever thought was possible..." He shook his head slightly, and walked over to the weapons rack. "I always knew that I wanted to be more than a farmhand, but this? Who would ask for this?" He leaned his cane again the rack, the slim dark wood looking very small next to the huge metal swords. His vision blurred, and a tear dropped to the floor. He knelt next to his backpack, opening it and placing the cane carefully inside.

"We all went to Beacon because we wanted to help people, but you're right." Ruby said, walking over to him. "None of us asked for this either." She reached out to place a hand on his shoulder. "We just have to press on-"

"How can you be so confident?" Oscar pulled away from her. "People have tried to kill you, the world's about to go to war all over again, how are you okay with any of this?" He stared at her with wide eyes, panic written all over his face. Ruby's shocked expression gave way to a kind of sad patience, her silver eyes looking far too old to belong to a teenager. It knocked the anger out of Oscar, and his hands slowly fell to his sides.

"When Beacon fell, I lost two of my friends. Penny Polendina and Pyrrha Nikos." Ruby turned away and walked over to the open door, staring out into the twilight sky. "I didn't know them for very long, but that doesn't change the fact that they were two of the most kind-hearted people I'd ever met. But that didn't save them." She looked down. "Pyrrha thought that if there was even the smallest chance of helping someone, then it was a chance worth taking." A small, proud smile flickered across her face. "And because of that, she died fighting a battle she knew she couldn't win. And Penny was killed, just to make a statement."

Oscar walked towards her. "I'm sorry..." He looked away.

"I am scared," Ruby said, turning to face him, "but not just for me. What happened at Beacon shows that Salem doesn't care if you're standing against her or not." Her voice took on a hard edge. "She'll kill anybody, and that scares me most of all. Pyrrha, Penny..." Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she turned to face the open door. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt, that I didn't think about them every day since I lost them, that I didn't wish I had spent more time with them." Her hands curled into fists. "If it had been me instead, I know they would have kept fighting too, no matter how dangerous it was. So that's what I choose to do, to keep moving forward." She looked up into the night sky.

Oscar walked over to stand beside her, and she looked at him with a small, sad smile. He returned it, sympathy and hope glittering in his eyes.

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she turned to face him. "Come on," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "if we don't hurry, Nora's gonna eat everything. It wouldn't be the first time." Smiling, she began to walk away. One foot on the stairs, she stopped and looked back. "Hey Oscar?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Yeah?"

"This isn't gonna be easy, but the fact you're even trying says a lot about you. You're braver than you think." She smiled softly and walked up the stairs, disappearing from Oscar's view.

_"She really is remarkable, isn't she?" _ A hint of pride entered Ozpin's voice.

"Yeah. She must have been one of the best huntresses at Beacon, huh?"

Ozpin chuckled. _ "In some ways, yes, but in many others, no. She has her quirks, her faults, just like everyone else. But she also possesses something unquantifiable, a spark that can inspire others, even in the darkest of times." _

"This must be really hard on her too."

_"It most assuredly is." _

"She doesn't deserve this, none of them do. They're the kindest people I've ever met in my life." Oscar looked out into the night sky.

_"And yet, it is precisely their kindness that drives them to do all they can to protect the world." _

Oscar sighed quietly and, shouldering his backpack, he followed Ruby up the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13: It's All True?

**Chapter Thirteen: It's All True?**

"I'm back!" Qrow yelled from the door. Sitting upstairs, Oscar heard him call and headed down. From the kitchen, he heard muffled bickering between Ruby and Ren.

"Hey, uh, Ruby?" Qrow called, sounding vaguely concerned.

"I'm coming!" She called back.

Footsteps, then the noise of breaking china came from the living room. Oscar quickened his pace down the stairs.

"Yang, I'm so sorry!"

He heard Ruby's stuttering, panicked voice and froze, his mind racing.

"I should've stayed, I should've talked to you more! I just wasn't sure if you wanted me around, and-" Ruby fell silent.

Oscar rushed down the last few steps and rounded the corner to see a tall blonde huntress hugging a frozen, teary eyed Ruby.

"I love you." She said, holding Ruby tighter.

"I love you too." Ruby buried her face in the huntress' jacket, crying quietly.

_"That's Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's sister." _ Ozpin offered.

Oscar let out a tiny sigh of relief. Jaune, Ren and Nora entered from the kitchen, all three smiling gently. Qrow's expression softened. Suddenly, Oscar noticed a teenage girl in a bloody, mud stained dress that looked as if it could have once been white or sliver. She was standing by the door, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Weiss." Ruby said, turning to face the girl with a smile. She and Yang opened their arms and the girl rushed over and wrapped them both in a hug.

_"That's Weiss Schnee, one of Ruby's best friends. Team RWBY is only missing one member now." _ Ozpin's quiet voice pulled Oscar out of the moment.

"Hey, Oscar," Qrow said quietly, walking over to him, "we should leave them to reconnect for a bit. We can do introductions and explanations later."

"Explanations, right..." Oscar said quietly. "Another chat with Ozpin?"

"Weiss and Yang will need to be brought up to speed. What does Oz think?"

_"If Yang has been talking to her mother, then this is going to be an exponentially more difficult conversation." _

"Ozpin's worried that Yang's been talking to her mom?" Oscar said, tilting his head.

"Right, Raven." Qrow looked down, brow furrowed.

"I'm confused."

"Raven is my sister, and Yang's mother. She's... difficult."

_"Raven Branwen is the leader of a notorious bandit tribe. _" Ozpin said. _ "I thought bringing her into my inner circle alongside Qrow was a good idea, but the knowledge broke her. She hates me, and believes our cause to be a lost one." _

"Okay..." Oscar folded his arms. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

_"You should get used to giving me control. It may be useful the next time we're in a fight." _

"Just don't make me do another back flip." Oscar muttered.

Qrow laughed quietly. "Oz talking to you in there?"

Oscar sighed quietly. "Yeah." He realised that the others had all gone into the dining room. Loud laughter echoed from the door.

"Come on." Qrow smiled, placing a hand on Oscar's shoulder. "I'll make you some hot cocoa."

"Thanks." Oscar followed him into the kitchen.

* * *

"How can six kids possibly make so much noise eating dinner?" Qrow asked, standing in the doorway to the dining room with one hand on his hip. Oscar stood next to him, looking at the floor. All eyes in the room turned to Oscar, and he smiled nervously.

"I think we all need to have a talk." Qrow stepped forward.

"Yeah, we do." Yang stood up, looking Qrow straight in the eyes.

* * *

Late in the evening, Ozpin finally finished telling his story to Weiss and Yang. They were silent. Oscar could hear the clock on the other side of the living room tick quietly.

"So, the Maidens. Magic. Salem. It's all true?" Weiss's eyes narrowed.

"Uh huh." Qrow said, his arms folded across his chest.

"Miss Xiao Long," Ozpin asked, sitting with his hands resting on his cane, "is this more or less what your mother told you?"

Weiss looked over at Yang, who was slumped on the sofa with her arms crossed, glaring at the floor. "For the most part." Weiss answered on Yang's behalf.

"You forgot something." Yang said, looking up at Ozpin. "You forgot to tell everyone what you did to Qrow and my mother."

Ruby gasped quietly.

"What is she talking about?" Jaune asked quietly, apprehensive.

"Oh, great." Qrow rolled his eyes.

"That's not a secret I thought she would give up so easily." Ozpin's brow furrowed. "Your mother must trust you a great deal."

Yang remained unimpressed, narrowing her eyes at him.

Ozpin sighed. "My ability to reincarnate, though a curse, isn't without a few key benefits. Much like the Maidens, I too possess a certain... magical power." He stood, and began to pace. "Using this power, I was able to gift the Branwen twins the ability to see more, to move freely and be unburdened by their natural bodies. I, well... gave them the ability to turn into birds." He chuckled quietly. "Rather ridiculous sounding out loud, isn't it?"

_"Wait, what?" _ Oscar thought, uncomfortably aware of how he was speaking but his mouth didn't move. _ "You can do that?" _

"Uncle?" Asked Ruby, eyes wide.

"You turned them... into birds." Ren tilted his head, mouth falling open slightly.

Nora narrowed her eyes. "Alright, now you're just messing with us."

"What else is new?" Jaune folded his arms and glared.

"He's telling the truth." Weiss said, her hands curled in her lap. "We saw it. Yang's mom changed, right in front of us."

"Why would you do something like that?" Yang stood up, glaring at Ozpin. "What is wrong with you?"

"Yang, that's enough." Qrow narrowed his eyes. "We made a choice. We wanted this." Yang sat back down slowly, eyes widening a little.

"May I?" Ozpin glanced at Qrow, who nodded. "Granting this power to them was no trivial task, and I can assure you it was not done frivolously. I required assistance in gathering information on Salem's plans, as well as searching for Maidens when their hosts became unclear."

"Okay, so, have you done this with others?" Ruby asked. "Like General Ironwood, or Professor Goodwitch?"

"As helpful as that might be, unfortunately it is not that simple." Ozpin looked down at the floor. "My power is finite, and if I'm being honest, dwindling. The amount I gifted to Qrow and Raven was, all things considered, rather miniscule. You see, centuries ago, I sacrificed a great deal of magic to four young women, who I hoped would use my gift for good. They were the first Maidens." He turned to Yang, a sincere, apologetic look on his face. "Miss Xiao Long, it was never my intention to lie to you. To any of you. There are just some matters that I prefer to... 'play close to the chest', I believe that's how you phrased it?" He glanced at Qrow.

"Huh, yeah." Qrow smirked.

"Everyone has a choice." Ozpin turned to face the group. "The Branwens chose to accept their powers, and the responsibilities that came with them. And later, one of them chose to abandon her duties, in favour of her own self-interest. Now, all of you have a choice. If anyone wishes to leave, now is the time." Ozpin turned away. "There is no shame or disgrace in abstaining, only in retreat."

Silence echoed through the room.

"Very well then."

Yang stood.

"Yang?" Ruby asked.

"If Ruby sticks around, then I will too." Yang glanced at her. "If there's one thing I know about her, it's that she somehow always knows the right thing to do." She smiled. Then, her voice took on a harder edge. "But, if we're going to help, if we're going to keep risking our lives, no more lies." She turned to Ozpin. "No more half-truths."

Ozpin glanced at Qrow, who shrugged slightly. "Understood." Ozpin said.

Yang sat back down, crossing her arms.

"So..." Jaune said hesitantly, "what now? I mean, what can we do?"

"Hmm," Ozpin considered, "that is a difficult question. One that I believe is best answered tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Asked Jaune.

"The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with hardships and peril, however it has been far too long since you have all been together. Please, take tonight. Enjoy this moment." He placed a hand on Yang's shoulder, smiling. She smiled back.

Ozpin's eyes flashed yellow, and suddenly Oscar was back in control. "Ah!" He flinched back, pulling his hand off of Yang's shoulder. Yang and Weiss chuckled.

Oscar heard Ozpin laughing in his head. He narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"Oh!" Exclaimed Nora in a moment of sudden understanding. "Raven? Qrow? They're birds!" She looked around excitedly. "Cracked it." She said, leaning back on the sofa with her arms behind her head. Ren shook his head slightly.


	14. Chapter 14: Ever the Optimist

**Chapter Fourteen: Ever the Optimist**

Ozpin and Qrow sat in the living room, Ozpin cradling a mug of hot cocoa and deep in thought.

"Things aren't looking good, Oz." Qrow looked over at him, holding his mug loosely in one hand.

Ozpin chuckled. "Ever the optimist." He took a sip of his drink. "While I would not say our current predicament is ideal, I think we can both agree that the situation could be much worse. Humanity is a resilient force."

"Oz." Qrow's voice was solemn. "Pro huntsmen like that don't just bite it all at once. Salem's powerful, and it seems like her reach is growing by the day." He narrowed his eyes. "What does that say about humanity?"

"That there are indeed a misguided few who have filled their hearts with malice." Ozpin nodded slightly. "It doesn't take a great number of people to cause harm, but I still believe there are far more people in this world willing to prevent it."

Footsteps sounded on the creaky wooden floorboards, and Ruby appeared behind Qrow. "Excuse me?" She said.

"Ah, Miss Rose." Ozpin smiled. "Join us. We were just about to gather everyone to discuss our next steps."

"Oh, uh, great." She smiled nervously.

"Something on your mind, kiddo?" Qrow inquired, head tilted slightly.

"If it's okay to ask..." She looked down, fiddling with her sleeve.

"Of course." Qrow's voice took on a warm tone.

"Well, we've been talking about the Relic at Haven, and the Spring Maiden, but..." She looked up. "What about the Fall Maiden?"

"Cinder." Ozpin said gravely.

"Does that mean Salem has the Beacon Relic?" Worry crept into Ruby's voice.

Ozpin and Qrow glanced at each other.

"Very astute, Miss Rose," Ozpin said, looking at her with something akin to pride, "I was wondering who would be the first to ask. No, thankfully she does not. It's true that the Relic at Haven is very much at risk, and for now, that should remain our primary focus." Ozpin smirked. "Let's just say I made finding the Relic at Beacon a bit more challenging than at the other schools."

"Oh, right." Ruby sighed with relief. "That's good to hear."

"It is," agreed Ozpin, "but let's not forget the challenges that still lie before us."

Ruby nodded.

"Now, is there anything else we can help you with?"

"Well, I did have one more question..." Ruby raised a questioning hand.

"No, my cane is not a Relic." Ozpin smiled.

"I have no more questions." Ruby's hand dropped back to her side.

The three laughed.

"Yes, while this cane is indeed very precious to me, it is also just that - precious to me." Ozpin laid a protective hand over the cane's handle. "While I admit is still has a few more tricks up its sleeve, I can firmly say that being a Relic isn't one of them. Now why don't you run and get the other students?"

A loud buzzing noise sounded from Qrow's pocket, and he fished out his scroll with an irritated look on his face. "Yeah?" A pause. "Okay..." He sighed quietly. "Yeah, we'll be there." Turning the scroll off and tossing it onto the table, he rolled his eyes.

"Who was it?" Asked Ruby.

"It was Leo." Qrow unscrewed the lid of his flask. "Says he had a breakthrough with the council. Thinks he might be able to get together a small raiding party for the bandits. He wants us to meet up at the school tomorrow night to walk us through it."

"Really?" Ruby gasped. "That's great! I'll go get the others." She ran off excitedly. Qrow look a long drink from his flask.

"Hmm..." Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "That sounds drastically different from your original conversation, does it not?"

"It does." Qrow stared straight ahead, brow furrowed.

"Interesting..." Ozpin closed his eyes, deep in thought.

_"Just so you know," Oscar_ said to Ozpin, _"I don't have a good feeling about this." _

"Things aren't looking good, Oz." Qrow turned to him with a solemn expression.

"I know..."


	15. Chapter 15: Fight

**Chapter Fifteen: Fight**

The sun had already set by the time Qrow, Oscar, Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Jaune, Ren and Nora reached the school. Oscar lagged behind the group, fists clenched tightly. He glanced nervously at Ruby. She smiled gently. Looking up as they entered the building, he caught a last glimpse of the sky.

Lionheart stood waiting for them, up on a balcony. "Why hello," he said as they approached. "Thank you for coming." His voice held a nervous edge to it, like that of an inexperienced student making up a speech as they went along. "There seems to be more of you than last time."

They stood below him, looking up. Qrow stepped forward. "You know what they say, the more the merrier. So, what's going on with the council?"

Lionheart looked to the side, tucking his hands behind his back. "Why... did you bring your weapons?" He asked hesitantly.

"What?" Qrow shot him a concerned glance. "Leo, we're huntsmen. Are you okay?"

"Of course!" Lionheart mumbled. "Of course, sorry. Just haven't had my evening coffee." He laughed nervously.

Out of the corner of his eye, Oscar noticed a black raven perching on a nearby banister.

"Look, it's nice to see you," began Qrow, "but we've got work to do. Are we getting support from the council or not?"

Yang blinked. "Mom?"

Qrow shot at the bird, which took flight, cawing indignantly. It landed behind Lionheart, and transformed into a masked woman with long, black hair. A sword was strapped to her belt.

Qrow stared, holding his sword out in front of him.

"Raven..." Ruby narrowed her eyes.

"They really are magic..." Nora muttered in astonishment.

Raven removed her mask. "If you're going to shoot me, shoot me. That was insulting." She placed a hand on her hip.

"What are you doing here?" Snarled Qrow, still pointing his sword at her.

"I could ask you the same thing." Raven walked down the steps towards them. "You've been scheming, little brother. Planning to attack your own sister." She smirked.

"Leo..." Qrow turned his weapon on him. "What have you done?" He yelled.

"I-" Lionheart stepped back.

"Leo did what any sane person would in his position." Raven reached the bottom of the steps and stood in front of the balcony. "He looked at all the information he had in front of him, assessed the situation, and made a choice." She placed a hand on the hilt of her sword. "And it seems you all have too."

_"I never thought it would be Leo..." _ Ozpin's sad voice cut through Oscar's thoughts. _ "Ironwood maybe, but Leo?" _ He sighed. _ "It never gets any easier." _

Oscar frowned, feeling very much out of his depth.

"You have the Spring Maiden." Qrow's voice was icy.

"I do."

Qrow sheathed his sword. "Then hand her over and let's work together! We can beat Salem!"

"All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with." Raven spat. "There is no beating Salem."

"You're wrong." Ruby stepped forward. "We've done things that most people would call impossible, and I know the only reason we were able to do it is because we didn't do it alone! We had people to teach us, people to help us, we had each other."

_"She's trying to talk her out of it." _ Ozpin's shock filtered into Oscar's mind. _ "Oh, Ruby. Some people can't be reasoned with." _

"Work with us." Ruby insisted. "At least I know we'll have a better chance of we try together." She extended a hand, palm open towards the sky. "Please."

Raven's eyes narrowed. "You sound just like your mother." She unsheathed her sword and slashed at the air next to her, creating a spinning red portal. A fireball shot out of it, catching Ruby in the chest and flinging her backwards. She cried out in pain.

"Ruby!" Yang yelled, running over to her.

A tall woman in a long, elegant red dress stepped out of the portal. "Hello boys and girls."

Three more figures followed her out of the portal; a young man in a grey jacket, a tattooed young woman with cropped hair and a green haired young woman with two pistols sticking out of the waistband of her trousers.

"Cinder." Ruby sat up, aided by Yang. Her voice, a low venomous growl that would have forced a Beowulf to turn tail and run, shocked Oscar to his core.

_Oh gods, that's the Fall Maiden,_ he thought, a near-silent gasp escaping him in sudden realisation. He clenched his fists. _ She killed Pyrrha. _

"C'mon guys, is that any way to greet your old friends?" The young man in the sliver jacket smirked.

Yang snarled.

"Everybody stay calm." Qrow hissed through gritted teeth, holding a hand out.

The door creaked open behind them. Oscar turned to see a tall man saunter in. "Oh no..." he whispered. It was the tall stranger from the train, Hazel.

Hazel turned, shoving the heavy wooden doors closed. "The White Fang is prepping demolition and securing the school grounds." He looked at the small group of huntsmen, and his voice lowered to a snarl. "No one's getting in, and no one's getting out."

"Thank you, Hazel." Cinder smiled.

"This was all just a trap?" Weiss's hands curled into fists, her usually flawless façade abandoned.

"It appears so." Ren hissed, glaring at Cinder.

"Raven." Qrow turned back to her. "Tell me. How long have you been with them?"

"Aww, don't take it personally, little bird." Cinder stepped forward. "Your sister was a recent addition. The lion on the other hand..." She gestured triumphantly to Leonardo, who looked away. "Entrance into the Vytal Festival was a real treat, but Leonardo's been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, very long time. Isn't that right, professor?"

"Stop it..." Lionheart hissed through gritted teeth.

"It was you." Qrow's voice was barely audible. "You sit on the Mistral Council." He grew louder. "You had information on every Huntsman and Huntress in the Kingdom, and you gave it all to her."

"I..." Lionheart began.

"I couldn't find any of them, because you let her kill them!" Qrow yelled.

"Aw now, don't beat yourself up about it Lionheart," Cinder said, smiling. "I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would have found them on their own eventually."

"What is wrong with you?" Jaune's raw, strained voice rang through the room. "How can you be so broken inside, to take so many lives, and then come here and rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of!"

"Jaune..." Nora warned. Her eyes were fixed on Cinder, a brutal ferocity in her gaze that Oscar had never seen before.

"All with that damn smile on your face!" Jaune yelled, tears trickling from his eyes.

Ruby drew her scythe.

"Everybody, stay calm!" Qrow hissed through gritted teeth.

"I'm gonna make you pay for what you did! Do you hear me?" Jaune stepped forward, white knuckles gripping the handle of his sword.

"Kid!" Qrow warned.

Oscar took a deep breath, curling his hands into fists.

"Say something!" Jaune yelled.

"Who are you again?" Cinder taunted, smirking.

Jaune yelled and ran at her, sword in hand. Cinder summoned a fiery sword from thin air and blocked his attack.

"Jaune!" Ruby raced towards him, her scythe pointed at Cinder.

"You're not getting near her." The green haired girl swung a long chain at Ruby. It wrapped around her waist and pulled her down.

The room dissolved into chaos. Oscar saw the swordfight between Jaune and Cinder intensify, while the young man in the sliver jacket challenged Yang.

"Hey there blondie," he smirked. "I'm thinking you owe me an apology for my leg, don't you think?"

"Come and get your apology, Mercury." She ran at him.

"Vernal, take out the heiress." Raven ordered. "Don't bother wasting your power, she's not worth it." The short haired woman nodded.

Qrow swung his sword at Raven, who brought up her own to block him.

"Running away was one thing, but this..." His eyes narrowed. "You've crossed the line."

"Sorry, brother. Sometimes family disappoints you like that."

"We're not family anymore."

"Were we ever?" Raven hissed.

"I thought so, but I guess I was wrong." Qrow flipped backwards, and Raven leapt after him.

Weiss watched, her pale blue eyes narrowed.

"Let's see what the Schnee name really means." Vernal drew a pair of crescent shaped blades.

"I'm more than a name." Sword in hand, Weiss turned to face her.

"Prove it."

Weiss launched herself forwards with a yell.

_"Oscar. The balcony." _

Obligingly, Oscar looked. Lionheart was standing alone, looking on at the fight in apparent horror.

Behind Oscar, Ren and Nora faced off against Hazel. "I don't wish to fight either of you." Hazel said.

"Nor I you." Ren said, drawing his pistol.

"But we will if you're with her!" Nora spat.

Hazel cracked his knuckles. "Very well then."

Oscar silently made his way up the steps towards Lionheart. Lionheart turned to face him.

"Young man, I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but for your sake, I suggest you leave." Lionheart adjusted his weapon, a kind of wrist-mounted shield. "Now."

Oscar narrowed his eyes. _ You're going to pay for your betrayal,_ he thought. Slowly, he stalked towards Lionheart.

"I'm warning you!" He pointed his shield at Oscar. With a metallic click, he loaded a dust projectile.

Oscar dropped into a fighting stance, one hand reaching behind his back for his cane.

"That's enough!" Lionheart pressed a button on his shield. A fiery rock shot towards Oscar, propelled from the weapon. Oscar crossed his arms in front of his face. The rock exploded into a cloud of dust, crumbling into sand on contact. Green energy flickered across his skin as he straightened up, eyes narrowed. Lionheart stepped back, his mouth falling open in shock. Taking the last few steps towards him, Oscar drew his cane. With a click, it lengthened out fully – a meter and a half of gleaming dark wood and signature silver.

"Ozpin?" Realisation dawned on Lionheart. His eyes widened.

"Not quite." Oscar smirked. He swung the cane at Lionheart, who brought his shield up to block it. Strike after strike rained down on the man. Wood hit metal. He tried to find his footing, but stumbled back. Oscar leapt up, slicing the cane through the air. It whistled past Lionheart's head and he threw himself backwards, out of reach.

"This can't be..." Denial and panic filled his voice. "I knew you would be back, but... You made it here! You found Qrow! How?"

_"Leo. What happened to you?" _Ozpin's voice was filled with sadness, a resigned pity that seemed to weigh tangibly on Oscar.

Oscar shook his head slightly, cane raised to strike again.

"Wait." Lionheart straightened up. "You can't have had this form for long. You're not really Ozpin right now." His brow furrowed. "Boy. Child."

Oscar shifted his feet, suddenly nervous.

"If I deliver you to Salem, she'll have to be pleased with me, and I can finally get out of all of this!" His gaze hardened. "I can finally be free!"

Fear crept into Oscar like ice cold water trickling down his spine. "What do I do?" He whispered to Ozpin.

_"Fight." _ Came the matter-of-fact reply.


	16. Chapter 16: Losing Control

**Chapter Sixteen: Losing Control**

A scream rang out through the room. Oscar turned to see Weiss pulling away from Vernal, yellow lightning sparking between them.

"Are you going to let her die too?" Cinder taunted Jaune.

"Stop messing with me!" Tears spilled down his face.

"If that's what you want..." Cinder pointed her sword at Jaune, who threw a hand in front of his face instinctively. There was a soft whoosh and her sword ignited with a red-hot fire. She ran at him. Yelling, he charged to meet her.

Ruby turned, watching them as if in slow motion. "No!" She screamed. A flash of white light exploded from her eyes, bathing the room in a silver glow. Oscar flinched away, momentarily blinded. Emerald's pistol connected with the back of Ruby's skull, and the light faded as she crumpled to the ground.

Cinder cried out in pain and fell to her knees. Fighting for breath she looked up, clutching her arm. Jaune's sword brushed past her face, chipping the edge of her mask. He overextended, falling to the floor.

Fire blazed from Cinder's eyes. "Did you actually think you had a chance against me?" Her foot slammed down on his chest. "You?"

Jaune flinched and reached for his sword. His fingertips brushed the hilt.

"You're just a failure with a death wish."

"If I die buying them time, then it's worth it!" Struggling to get up, Jaune looked Cinder in the eyes. "They're the ones that matter."

On the other side of the room, Nora and Ren battled Hazel, working in tandem. Yang dodged kicks from Mercury, firing back.

"You think so?" Cinder's lip curled up in an awful parody of a smile, watching Vernal throw Weiss backwards. Weiss knelt, trying to catch her breath. With a cruel, measured ease, Cinder conjured a glowing metal spear from thin air.

"No..." Jaune struggled to stand as Cinder raised the spear. "No!"

She threw it. Weiss gasped, her head tilted up to the ceiling. The long metal shaft had torn straight through her side. Her hands spasmed. She looked down, unable to breathe, eyes wide and glassy.

Yang stopped fighting, watching in abject horror. Nora and Ren stood, shocked and silent. Tears streamed down Jaune's face. As they watched, the spear crumbled into ash, and Weiss slumped to the floor.

"Weiss!" He ran to her.

Oscar stood, frozen. He saw Jaune press his hands to the gaping hole in Weiss's side. Wide-eyed and frantic, Oscar glanced around the room, desperately looking for something, anything. His heart stopped. Ruby lay unmoving at Emerald's feet. Eyes hardening to steel, Oscar turned to Lionheart in blind rage. With a furious yell, he struck him in the head with his cane. Lionheart crumpled like tissue paper, falling backwards down the stairs and colliding with Hazel.

Oscar rushed over to Ruby's comatose body. "Ruby, get up!" He shook her. "Get up! We need you!" Nora appeared at his side, kneeling helplessly.

Hazel grabbed Lionheart by the collar, lifting him into the air. "You're lettin' that boy make a fool of you." He warned.

"That's not just a boy!" Lionheart fought for breath. "It's Ozpin, he's already reincarnated!"

Hazel's eyes snapped open in shock. He dropped Lionheart, turning to see Oscar still kneeling at Ruby's side. Ozpin's cane was gripped tight in his hand.

"Ozpin?" Hazel snarled.

Ruby stirred. "Ow..."

"Ruby!" Relief washed over Oscar. He opened his mouth to explain what had happened.

"Ozpin!" Hazel roared.

_"Oh no." _

"You thought you could hide from me?" He yelled, fists clenched in fury. He tore off his jacket, pulling out four chunks of yellow Dust crystal. "You'll pay for what you did! You'll die, over and over again!" He plunged the crystals into his arms and his veins crackled with yellow lightning. It sparked in his eyes.

"Do we fight?" Stammered Oscar, backing away.

_"No, run!" _

With a snarl, Hazel charged at him. He swung a fist at Oscar's face, lightning sparking from his knuckles. Oscar leapt back.

_"Oscar." _

"No!"

_"Oscar!" _ Ozpin insisted as Oscar dodged another blow.

"I told you, no!" Hazel's fist connected with Oscar's stomach, sending him flying back into a wall. His chest heaved, spasming.

_"Please, let me take over! I can handle him!" _

Oscar coughed, sitting up. "You told me I needed to fight for myself!" He pulled himself to his feet, wincing slightly. "So I will."

_"This is not your fight!" _

"What does that mean?" Oscar's eyes narrowed. "Why is he so upset with us?"

"He didn't tell you my tale, did he boy?" Hazel snarled, stalking over. "I thought you looked familiar." He towered over Oscar. "To think that evil was inside you when our paths first crossed."

Hazel's shadow fell over Oscar, and his mind flashed back to the train, then the farmhouse. He couldn't breathe.

"Your blood won't be on my hands." Hazel raised his fists. "It'll be on his."

Qrow leapt in front of Oscar, holding up his scythe to block Hazel's blow. The impact threw them both backwards. With a snarl, Qrow pulled himself to his feet and ran at Hazel, his scythe outstretched and aimed for his heart.

Oscar stood staring. "What was he talking about?"

"Tell him, Ozpin." Hazel snarled, holding back Qrow with one hand. "Tell him how you killed her!"

"Her?" Oscar whispered.

_"Gretchen Rainart was Hazel's sister." _ Ozpin spoke fluidly yet quickly. _ "Despite her brother's wishes, she enrolled at Beacon Academy to become a Huntress, and tragically lost her life on a training mission." _

Oscar lowered his cane, shoulders dropping.

_"Hazel holds me responsible." _

He closed his eyes.

_"Please, let me fight. I know Hazel. He's wounded in a way that cannot be healed." _

"You know now!" Hazel tossed Qrow to the ground, turning to Oscar. "You can forgive me for what I'm about to do."

"Did she know?" Oscar challenged. "Did she know the risk of being a Huntress?" He brought the cane up, gripping it firmly with both hands.

"She was only a child!" Hazel yelled. "She wasn't ready!"

"She made a choice!" Oscar turned his cane on Hazel, dropping into a fighting stance. "A choice to put others before herself!" He tightened his grip, steel in his eyes. "So do I."

Hazel sighed. "Then you've chosen death." He stepped forward, lightning sparking in his skin.

_"I'm sorry." _ Ozpin muttered.

"What?" Oscar barely had time to force the word out before a flash of yellow light shone from his eyes. He felt Ozpin take control of his mind, and fell to his knees. When he rose again, it was Ozpin that looked up, his blazing eyes narrowed.

Hazel noticed the change. "Ozpin!" He roared.


	17. Chapter 17: Silver Light

**Chapter Seventeen: Silver Light**

Jaune pressed his hands to Weiss's side. Beside him, Ren placed a hand gently on her wrist.

"She's hardly breathing..." Ren looked down. "I don't know what we can do."

Small, raspy breaths escaped from her throat.

"No, it wasn't supposed to be like this! Please!" Jaune shook his head, closing his eyes. "I can't lose anyone else..."

A faint glow lit his face. He looked at Weiss. Sliver light shimmered across her skin, a bright aura that encompassed her whole body. She gasped.

Lightning crackling down his arms, Hazel threw blow after blow at Ozpin. Hazel's fist missed his head by a fraction, cracking a wood column behind him. He leapt backwards. Lionheart took aim at him, but Qrow appeared, firing off a barrage of shots from his scythe. Running forwards, Qrow kicked out at Lionheart's throat. Lionheart shot back.

Ozpin jumped up, striking Hazel in the head repeatedly. Hazel shook the blows off easily. Taking advantage of Oscar's agility, Ozpin flipped backwards out of his reach. His fist hit the ground. Ozpin ran to the stairs, then turned. Using the wall next to him as a spring board, he jumped, smacking Hazel in the chin with his cane in mid-air. Hazel snarled. Ozpin struck at his chest, moving so fast his arms seemed to blur. Hazel stumbled back, and Ozpin saw his chance. He dived under Hazel's arms and hit him hard, aiming for the kidney. Hazel fell to his knees. Spinning his cane in one hand, Ozpin turned to face him. Lightning crackled in Hazel's eyes.

Weiss gasped for breath, her eyes closed. Silver light enveloped her.

"What's happening?" Stammered Jaune, his mouth falling open in shock.

"Weiss!" Ruby rushed over, helped by Nora. "What happened? What's going on?" She looked desperately at Ren and Jaune.

A hopeful smile lit Ren's face. "I think she's going to be okay! She seems to be stabilising."

Ozpin cried out, dodging the barrage of punches Hazel threw at him. Lightning charged the air between them. Hazel snarled. He threw another punch, but missed, hitting the ground and making the floor crack.

A fiery rock hit Ozpin in the shoulder, fired by Lionheart. He snarled with pain and clutched his arm. Hazel swung a fist at him. Qrow leapt between them, shoving Ozpin out of the way and bringing his scythe round to block Hazel's blow. He was too slow. A fist struck him in the side, and he was flung back. Hazel towered over Ozpin, wide-eyed with rage.

Ruby turned to Jaune. "Whatever you're doing, don't stop." The sliver light that was enveloping Weiss flowed from Jaune's hands. As he concentrated, it glowed brighter.

"I won't."

"Oscar needs help." Ruby looked over at where Ozpin and Hazel were fighting.

"I'm on it." Ren stood.

"Jaune and Weiss still need cover."

"No one's gonna touch 'em." Nora lifted her hammer.

"Okay." A small, confident smile lit up Ruby's face. She ran to Yang's side, slicing her scythe at Emerald.

"Thanks, sis." Yang stood up. "You okay?"

"No." Ruby hissed. "I'm angry." She leapt forward.

Mercury kicked Ruby's scythe out of her hands. "Uh oh," he taunted, "what are you gonna do now?" He threw a punch at Ruby's head and she ducked, pushing up again and headbutting him in the face. Hands over his face, he pulled back.

Ruby grabbed her scythe off the ground. "Whatever it takes to shut you up."

"You guys doing okay?" Nora asked nervously, standing in front of Jaune and Weiss with her hammer held out to defend them.

"I think so." Jaune stammered. "She's coming to." Weiss shifted, murmuring. "I just wish this would go faster."

"How about you don't complain and be grateful you unlocked your Semblance when you did." Nora smiled.

"My Semblance?" Jaune looked up.

"How else do you think you're healing her, dummy?" Glancing over one shoulder, Nora shot him an encouraging smile.

"No, I don't think I'm healing her..." Jaune furrowed his brow. "Our aura heals our bodies. It feels..." He broke off, concentrating. "It feels more like I'm using my aura to amplify hers."

"Wait." Nora's smile faded. "Aren't you worried about running out?"

A proud, soft smile graced Jaune's face, and he looked down at Weiss. "Pyrrha once told me I've got a lot of it. I still believe her."

Weiss's eyelids fluttered open. "Jaune?"

Ren leapt forward to join the fight against Hazel. Green pistols in hand, he dodged Hazel's wild punches, taking aim. Hazel's fist caught him in the chest and he flew backwards, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. As he struggled to get up, Hazel threw a bolt of lightning at him. He screamed.

"Ren!" Nora stood paralyzed.

"Go!" Ordered Jaune. "I've got her."

Nora ran to Ren's side.

"Jaune..." Weiss muttered. "What's happening?"

"You took a heavy hit. You need to stay with me while the others fight."

"That's annoying..."

Jaune laughed. "Good to have you back, Weiss."

On the other side of the room, Qrow had joined Ren, slumped on the ground due to Hazel's punches. Ozpin batted Lionheart's shots away with his cane. Hazel raced towards him, letting out an inhuman roar. His fist caught Ozpin in the face and he was flung backwards.

Oscar dully registered the pain of the blow. _What on Remnant is going on? _he thought, his mind spinning. He felt every strike in a disconnected haze, as if they were landing on someone else. Panic shot through him as he realised his body lay crumpled on the floor. _Get up, Oz! _he urged, desperately trying and failing to regain control.

"Hiding behind the face of a child?" Hazel snarled, standing over Ozpin as he struggled to rise. "A monster like you must be stopped!"

With a yell, Nora flung herself at Hazel, hammer outstretched. He tore it away. Tossing her to the ground, he grabbed her head, sending lightning sparking straight into her brain. She screamed.

_Nora!_ Oscar tried to call out, but his mouth didn't move.

"How many more children must die for you?" Hazel slammed Nora's face into the floor.

Still yelling, Nora struggled to her feet, grabbing Hazel's wrist. His mouth opened in shock. Lightning flickered through her body, flashing a brilliant pink. She threw him over her shoulder and he landed slumped a few meters away. Hammer in hand, she stood glaring at him.

"His Semblance..." Ozpin muttered from the floor. "He can block out pain. It's how he's able to handle injecting so much Dust into his body."

Hazel clambered to his feet, the last of the pink lightning flickering away.

Nora gritted her teeth. "I don't need him to hurt..." He charged at her. "I just need him to die!" She swung her hammer. It hit him in the chest, pink lightning sparking at the impact point and throwing him back through the wall. He landed crumpled outside at the feet of a group of White Fang fighters.

Ozpin leant against his cane, kneeling on the floor. Next to him, Qrow struggled to rise. Nora ran to Ren's side. At the doorway, Ruby turned back from watching Hazel and looked back at her teammates with wide eyes. Yang stood hunched over, gasping for breath.

Bright light burst through the windows of the hall, filling the room with a white glow. Outside, a thunderous growl announced the arrival of a fleet of helicopters.

"Adam Taurus!" A loudspeaker announced from the sky. "This is the Mistral Police Force! Lower your weapons and surrender peacefully."

"What's happening?" Weiss looked around.

"I'm not sure." Answered Jaune. "How're you feeling?"

She sat up slowly, silver light still rippling over her body. "Better." A glyph appeared in her hand. "Much better." She nodded to Jaune. "Keep it up." The white glyph grew, spinning slowly as a monstrous shape emerged from it.

On the side-lines, Ozpin stared in amazement as Weiss stood, a summoned Queen Lancer behind her. The same light that had flickered over her as she lay dying now shone brightly from the summoned avatar, illuminating the room.

_Damn, _Oscar thought, _that's one hell of a Semblance._

Striking out into the dark, the Queen Lancer's stinger shot out of the doors of the hall. It returned a moment later with Hazel impaled on the end, dragging him back into the fray.

Weiss gasped, staring fixedly at the doorway.

In the entrance, a young woman with long black hair and a white huntress' jacket stood tall. Her saffron eyes widened. "Yang?"

Yang's mouth fell open in shock.

Ruby turned to her. "Yang, go!" She pointed at where the statue had disappeared, taking Cinder, Raven and Vernal down to the vault.

Yang ran. Emerald leapt into try and stop her, but missed. Mercury grabbed her arm as she sprinted past him. For a moment, her eyes glowed red with fury. She blinked. They returned to their original lavender, and there was a metallic click as she detached her metal arm and continued running. She dived down the gap the statue had left, disappearing from sight. A wall of ice sprung up in front of Mercury and Emerald. Weiss brought her sword down, smirking.

Ruby turned back to face the woman in the doorway. For a moment they stood, staring at each other. Then she ran. Ruby watched her go, motionless.

* * *

Quick authors note for the few people who actually read them:

My life got very chaotic very quickly and still hasn't really calmed down, so I'm just going to post the last few chapters of this and not put too much pressure on myself to finish it. Hope you enjoy reading it 😊


	18. Chapter 18: The Relic

**Chapter Eighteen: The Relic**

"You guys okay?"

Jaune stood protectively in front of Ren and Nora, both of whom were panting for breath. He threw his shield out to block a stray shot from Lionheart.

"Surviving." Ren coughed, his hands shaking around his two pistols.

"I don't know how that big guy's still standing." Nora gestured to Hazel, speaking between gasps. "He recharges his Aura faster than I've ever seen!"

"He's sheer willpower." Qrow landed behind Ozpin, slipping back from bird form into human.

Ozpin dodged another shot from Lionheart, ducking behind a wooden pillar. "We just need to get him to his limit!"

Weiss's conjured Queen Lancer ground its mandibles, firing spikes at Lionheart. He struck back with a wave of fire.

With a roar, Hazel threw a bolt of lightning at the Lancer and it fell apart, shattering into tiny silver fragments. Weiss looked on with wide eyes.

The white coated woman leapt through the doorway, scattering the remnants of silver light. With a yell, she threw herself at Hazel, kicking him square in the jaw. He fell back. The woman landed next to Ruby and Weiss, the long black ribbon on her katana trailing behind her.

Ruby gasped. "Blake?"

"Are you hurt?" The woman asked, concern straining her voice.

"No!" Weiss stammered. "I just remember you being more of the quiet one."

Something akin to a confident smile appeared on Blake's face. "Not today."

Hazel, Emerald and Mercury stalked towards them. Blake narrowed her eyes.

"Alright. What's the plan, Ruby?" Weiss readied her sword.

Ruby smiled, firing a shot at Lionheart. His Aura flickered yellow to try and deflect the attack as he stumbled away. Ruby fired again, and he turned tail and fled.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Mercury rolled his eyes at where Lionheart had disappeared.

"Checkmate!" Ruby called out. Weiss and Blake leapt forward.

Ozpin leant on his cane, watching as Ruby and her team encircled Hazel, Mercury and Emerald.

"That's enough!" Ruby stepped forward. "Just give up."

Mercury slammed a fist into the ground with a snarl.

"It's not over!" Emerald brandished her knives. "Cinder will come back, she'll have the Relic, and she'll stop all of you!" Her eyes narrowed. "She won't let us down."

The floor opened up, and the elevator to the Spring Maiden's Vault rose into view. On it stood Yang. She held a gold lamp aloft, bathed in the deep blue glow that emanated from it - the Relic.

Emerald stepped back, eyes widening.

"Yang..." Ruby said softly, her face lighting up.

Yang glanced at Blake, who looked away, smiling.

Tears streaming down her face, Emerald's legs buckled. Her knives clattered to the ground. Ragged breaths tore at her throat as she knelt, head bowed.

"Emerald, get up, we need to go." Mercury was backing away slowly, following Hazel's lead.

She shook her head wildly.

"Emerald!" He insisted.

She screamed, bringing both hands to her head. The room darkened, tinted as red as her bloodshot eyes. A tall shadow unfurled before them with the hideous of bones snapping into place. It was a woman, red veins streaking like lightning scars over her ash white skin. She screamed. Dark blood leaked from her black eyes.

Oscar's heart hammered and he fought to regain control, to run, to get as far away from the terrifying apparition as he could. Ozpin stepped back. Fear, anger, loss, regret, grief – raw pain flooded from Ozpin's stunned mind into Oscar's, threatening to overwhelm him, drowning his thoughts.

Ruby dropped to the ground, throwing her arms up to protect her face as the woman dived at her. Light returned to the room. Shaking, Ruby looked up to see that the woman had disappeared, as had Mercury, Emerald and Hazel. The team stood in an empty room.

"What was that?" Blake stammered.

"An illusion, but an accurate one." Ozpin spoke, leaning heavily on his cane. "That was Salem."

His exhaustion ebbed and flowed, slowly replacing the raw grief with an aching, soul-deep tiredness. Oscar felt it too as control of his body slipped within his reach. Fighting the exhaustion, he called out to Ozpin in his mind. _Let go!_

Finally, Ozpin relinquished control of his body. A wave of agony slammed into Oscar and he crumpled to the ground, clutching his side.

Qrow ran over, Relic in hand. "I don't know how, but we did it, Oz. You okay?" He dropped to his knees beside him.

Oscar panted heavily. "I'm alright."

"Kid?" Concern flickered across Qrow's face.

"He's resting." Oscar's voice was forced. He clutched his side with one hand. "Too much energy fighting."

"Hey, don't strain yourself." Qrow cautioned, worry creasing his brow.

"No! He had..." Oscar struggled for breath. "A message. We must get the lamp to..." He looked up at Qrow. "Atlas." With a cry of pain, he slumped sideways, and just before his world faded to black he felt Qrow gently lower him to the ground.


	19. Chapter 19: Asking for Permission

**Chapter Nineteen: Asking for Permission**

Oscar awoke to the sound of voices. He was lying in his bed at the house in Haven, staring up at the ceiling. Light filtered in through the curtains – early morning, by the looks of it. Lifting his head slightly, he groaned as the ache of his injuries returned to him.

"_Good morning, Oscar." _Ozpin's voice was tired but warm.

"Oh great, you're back." Oscar said, deadpan.

"_I don't believe that sarcasm suits you." _

"I don't believe that my body suits you."

"_Oscar, please." _Ozpin wasn't pleading. He sounded like an irritated parent.

"Please what?" Oscar struggled into a sitting position, clutching his side. "Please stop being annoyed that you took control of my body without my permission?"

"_You would be dead if I hadn't taken control and you know it." _Anger reared up behind Ozpin's barrier of cold patience. _"Hazel would have killed us – killed you! Then he would have killed the others. You don't want that on your conscience, trust me."_

A quiet, frustrated snarl escaped Oscar. "You could have told me."

"_I tried. You weren't listening." _

""I'm sorry" isn't a warning, Oz. It's asking for forgiveness instead of permission."

"_I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I'm asking for your trust."_

"Trust?" Oscar's voice rose. "You-" He broke off, agony spiking in his chest. Screwing his eyes shut, he cried out, bringing a hand up to cradle his injured side.

"_Easy, Oscar. You have some broken ribs that haven't healed fully yet."_

_Broken ribs? When did that happen?_ Oscar thought dazedly. _Did I black out in that fight? _He shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts.

"It hurts to breathe, Oz." He sighed, defeated.

"_Try to take deep breaths. The last thing you want right now is a lung infection."_

"That hurts more."

"_We can get some more painkillers, I'm sure there are some downstairs."_

Oscar shook his head gently. "I'm not up to walking right now." He breathed in deeply, then winced, releasing it in a shuddering gasp. "Ow. I'm still annoyed at you, by the way."

"_I can tell."_

"I'm serious. Getting control of my body yanked away from me, like I was some kind of puppet? That was the most horrifying thing I've ever felt." Oscar shivered, hunching his shoulders. "And I was moving, except I wasn't, I couldn't control it – I couldn't even speak!"

"_I know how it feels, Oscar. How do you think I feel now? A voice in a stranger's mind, unable to move, or fight, or breathe…" _Ozpin trailed off, sighing. _"I've lived through this, through reincarnation, for millennia. It never gets any easier."_

Oscar's shoulders slumped. "I know, I just-" He took a deep breath and tried again. "Can we make some rules? So I never have control wrenched away from me again, and you can still keep us both alive?"

"_That…"_ Ozpin seemed at a loss for words. _"That is a good point. I take it you have ideas?"_

"Yeah." Oscar sat up straighter. "One, we agree that this body is primarily mine, so you can't take control without my permission."

Ozpin made a quiet, non-committal noise.

"Two, I promise to listen to your advice at all times and hand over control when necessary."

"_I would feel a little more reassured by that promise."_

"Exactly, right?" Oscar smiled. "If we work as a team, we'll be able to manage all this."

"_You know, I had almost forgotten what optimism felt like. Thank you, Oscar. It's refreshing."_

"Do you have any ideas for rules?"

"_Nothing comes to mind now, only that I'd rather we call them "agreements". "Rules" sounds a little like I'm still teaching at Beacon."_

"Fair enough." Oscar shifted his weight onto his hand, pushing himself to the edge of the bed. "Right, let's go and find some painkillers."

"_Don't forget the Relic."_

"Oh yeah." Oscar cautiously picked the lamp up from the bedside table. It glowed with a soft, gently pulsing blue light. "The Relic. Like we didn't have enough to worry about already."

"_It gives us incentive to travel to Atlas, which may be the safest place from Salem and her forces we have right now."_

Standing up carefully, Oscar sighed. He clipped the lamp to his belt and left the room.

Oscar descended the stairs, painfully slowly. He heard Ruby's voice echoing from the sitting room.

"We need to take the Relic to Atlas?"

"That's what Oz said." Qrow replied to her.

The sounds of someone roughly shoving something into a bag accompanied an irritated huff from Weiss. "You've got to be joking..." She muttered.

Wincing slightly, Oscar sat down on the step. "Do you want to take over for this bit? I want to see if I can sleep while you do all the talking."

"_Somehow I doubt you will be able to."_

"I can dream Oz, I can dream."

"_Alright then." _

Oscar felt the now-familiar sensation of being pushed away from the controls of his own body. It was gentler this time though, a nudge as opposed to a sickening wrench. His back straightened.

Ozpin descended carefully, half-listening to the conversation in the living room.

Nora's tone was lethargic. "I mean, bright side, we finally get out of this house."

"Trust me, I'm not crazy about it either," Qrow said, "but without the Spring Maiden here to seal the Relic back into the Vault, it's our best option."

"Atlas may be the safest kingdom we have at the moment, but the borders are closed." Ren reasoned. "General Ironwood called everyone back."

"Not everyone." Qrow's voice was accompanied by a soft beep – his scroll. "The city of Argus is a ways north of us and it's the primary trading port between Anima and Solitas. They've got the largest military base outside of the kingdom, there's no way they'd leave it abandoned. And, if we play our cards right, I think there's a good chance we could convince them to escort us straight to Ironwood."

"We do have the missing heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." Blake interjected.

"Ex heiress, actually." Weiss narrowed her eyes, her voice clipped.

"True, true." Yang placed her bag on the floor. "But if there's a chance of reward money I say we go for it." She winked at Weiss, who rolled her eyes and slammed her weapon case shut.

"Hopefully the first option will suffice." Ozpin limped into the room, leaning on his cane for support.

"Glad to see you're feeling better." Qrow smiled.

"Likewise." Ozpin nodded. "And, while I'm sure we could all use more time to recover, I'm afraid time is of the essence."

Oscar sighed internally.

"As long as that thing's still out in the open, its power could fall into the wrong hands." Blake gestured to the lamp tied to Ozpin's belt.

"Speaking of," Jaune said, looking up from sharpening his sword, "what does it do exactly? Qrow never really told us."

"Of course." Ozpin unhooked the Relic and held it up. "The Relic of knowledge has a wonderful – and incredibly dangerous – ability." It grew as he spoke, glowing with a soft, ethereal blue light. "Its user can ask any question, and the lamp will provide an answer." He let go, and it hung suspended in mid-air.

"Intriguing..." Ren muttered.

"That's incredible." Awe filled Blake's voice.

"Indeed." Ozpin smiled. "However, it is not without drawbacks. The lamp cannot tell you of events that have yet to happen, and it will only ever answer three questions every 100 years."

"Well, I guess that's not so bad." Yang shrugged. "Adds a lot of pressure though."

Nora sprang up. "Then let's put it to a vote! What should we ask first? Can we ask for more questions? Please tell me we can ask for more questions!"

"They're not wishes." Ren brought a hand to his forehead.

Ozpin chuckled. "I'm afraid you won't be able to ask it anything at the moment. The questions were used before I sealed it away."

Nora huffed and stomped back to her seat.

"Well," Ruby said, gazing at the lamp, "at least now we know what it is. And we'll be sure to keep it safe."


	20. Chapter 20: Bad Habits

**Chapter Twenty: Bad Habits**

Oscar sat on a smooth wooden bench in a busy train station alongside Ren, Jaune, Nora, Weiss and Yang. He watched as Ruby sped towards the group in a blur of red. She skidded to a halt in front of them, grinning broadly.

"And..." Yang turned to Ruby.

"Ta daa!" Ruby exclaimed, pulling a full paper bag into view and displaying it proudly.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "What an absolute waste of-"

"What did you get me?" Yang jumped forward, her unbridled enthusiasm cutting through Weiss's exasperation.

"You'll have to wait and see!" Ruby taunted in a sing song voice, pulled the back out of Yang's reach.

"No fair!" Yang lunged for it. Ruby stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, I can't believe we're taking the train to Atlas!" Nora stretched luxuriously, standing up. "Beautiful northern coastline..." She turned to Ren. "Do you think it's too early for beach season?"

"Unfortunately." Ren smiled. "But we will be one step closer to Atlas."

"Well I'm glad you're all excited." Weiss frowned. "I don't think you appreciate the trouble I went to to leave Atlas."

"I know you're worried Weiss but trust us." Ruby took a step towards her. "Team RWBY won't leave your side for a second! I promise." She beamed, both eyes closed in a smile that seemed to embody sunshine.

Weiss's tense expression melted, and she smiled.

"No one's gotta be worried with us around!" A deep voice said.

Oscar turned to see two young huntsmen swagger up to the group. One had a shotgun cradled lazily in one hand, and the other held a spiked metal club loosely over one shoulder.

"And you are?" Nora placed a hand on her hip.

"Why, Dee and Dudley of course." The club-holding huntsman spoke, gesturing first to himself then his companion. "Argus Limited's very own huntsmen. We'll be keeping everyone safe as we pass through Grimm territory."

Dudley stepped forward; a smile plastered onto his face. "But for a generous tip, we could make sure your passenger car gets extra special attention. Should things... get dangerous." He winked.

Oscar narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, I got a tip for you." Qrow sauntered up, hands in his pockets and a scowl on his face.

"Huh?" Dee and Dudley turned to face him.

"Fuck off." Qrow stood between his nieces and the huntsmen. "Looks like Mistral's really scraping the bottom of the barrel these days."

Yang smirked, crossing her arms.

"Hey!" Dee glared at Qrow. "You're talking to a professional-"

"Yeah, a professional huntsman, I know." Qrow fished his ID out of his pocket and watched smugly as they took in his status.

Dee rolled his eyes, but begrudgingly backed down.

"I see one of you heroes left the staff entrance wide open," Qrow continued, folding his arms over his chest. "It'd be a shame to lose your job before it even started."

"I didn't do it!" Dudley stammered, turning to Dee.

"Ugh, come on." Dee groaned, walking away. Still protesting his innocence, Dudley followed.

_"Oh, I do hope those weren't Beacon graduates." _ Ozpin sighed.

Oscar chuckled quietly. "You know, sometimes the burden of savings the world feels overwhelming." He smiled, turning to face the group. "But then people like that come along and make me grateful that it's our job and not theirs."

Resounding agreement echoed through the team, Ruby nodding in affirmation of Oscar's statement.

"So," Qrow interjected. "You kids ready to go? Bike all loaded up?"

Yang nodded.

"Just waiting on Blake, as usual." Weiss smiled.

* * *

Oscar watched as Ruby and her team pile into a compartment and Qrow wandered off to find a drink.

"I'm probably gonna be on my own for most of this journey, aren't I?" Oscar wondered aloud.

_"I would offer to talk with you, but there are numerous other passengers within earshot, and..." _ Ozpin trailed off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I look crazy." Oscar said quietly, fiddling with his sleeve.

The train car shook. In the distance, Oscar heard the sound of breaking glass and panicked shouting.

"I'm guessing it's not supposed to do that." His eyes narrowed and he ran to the window. Huge black griffons soared past, a pack of over twenty heading for the train. Oscar ducked back inside the passenger car.

_"Shall I?" _ Ozpin asked.

"No, I'm keeping control." Oscar stood, promptly knocking into Jaune, who had just walked up behind him.

"What's going on?" Jaune asked. Another Grimm shrieked from just outside the window and Nora's eyes widened.

"Grimm." Oscar turned and ran to the emergency door, Nora, Ren and Jaune following. They climbed onto the roof of the train. Spotting Qrow in front of him, Oscar hurried over, fighting the vicious wind.

"How can I help?"

Qrow fired at a nearby griffon. "You can get that idiot to shut off the turrets. They're just drawing the Grimm towards the passengers!" He had to yell to be heard over the cacophony of fighting around him.

"Right!" Oscar ran towards the front of the train. A gun turret blew up behind him and he dodged, leaping over a gap between the cars. Vaguely detached, a small part of him marvelled at the fact he wasn't curled up in a little ball of terror.

_I've come along way since I first arrived at Haven, _he thought. A griffon snapped at his head and he ducked, narrowly avoiding losing his head.

"Stop!" Oscar yelled, finally reaching Dudley. "You've got to shut the turrets off!"

"Are you crazy? No way!" Dudley took aim at a griffon and fired. It exploded into a spinning ball of ash and feathers, lost to the sky. "Yes! Another one down!"

Gritting his teeth, Oscar grabbed Dudley's arm. "We have to lure the Grimm towards the back!"

"What does it matter if they're dead?" Dudley shoved him away and took aim again. Oscar stumbled back, then stood up straight in shock as the griffons took to the air as one.

"Where are they going?" Dudley muttered aloud. Oscar turned to the front of the train and gasped, his eyes widening.

"Tunnel!" He yelled. Paralyzed with shock, Ozpin's muscle memory took over and he slipped into a gap between the train cars just as they entered the tunnel. There was a sickening crunch as Dudley attempted to follow him. Gritting his teeth, Oscar pulled him into the passenger car, trying to ignore his agonised scream. Dudley crumpled to the floor and clutched his shattered arm closer to his chest.

Oscar winced. _That's definitely broken, probably in more than one place, _he thought. Looking up, he saw Qrow storm over, the team following.

"I said, turn those damn things off!" Qrow lifted Dudley up, slamming him backwards into the wall. He cried out in pain and Oscar shrank back.

"Those things," hissed Dudley, "are keeping us alive!"

"Us, sure, but they're putting the passengers in danger!" Qrow snarled.

Oscar flattened himself against the wall, edging away from them.

"I'm in charge here!" Dudley insisted.

"Look, if you idiots had been doing your jobs in the first place instead of shaking down passengers, maybe we wouldn't be in this-"

Qrow was cut off as Ruby laid a hand in his shoulder. Brow furrowed, he stepped backwards, away from Dudley. Oscar flinched.

"Please, just shut off the turrets." Ruby's expression was solemn.

"Trust us." Jaune placed his hands over Dudley's wounded arm. "We know what we're doing." Silver light flowed from his hands to the wound, and it lit up yellow.

Dudley gasped, confusion and relief flickering over his face. He turned to Ruby. "Fine."

She nodded.

"Ren, could you use your Semblance to mask everyone on this train?" Nora asked, laying a hand on his shoulder. "With the guns off and emotions hidden, they might lose track of us."

"I've never attempted to affect this many people." Ren bit his lip.

"Well, you've never had Jaune's help before." Ruby stepped forward.

"He could amplify your Aura." Weiss said quietly.

"Yeah, that's an alright plan..." Qrow nodded. Oscar was still watching him carefully, his back pressed against the wall.

_"May I?" _ Ozpin asked. Oscar nodded mutely, then his eyes flashed yellow as Ozpin took control.

Ozpin stepped forward. "I'm afraid there's one complication. Grimm are also attracted to this." He pointed to the Relic tied to his belt.

_What?! And you decided to share this now? _If he could, Oscar would have rolled his eyes._ You've got to get out of that habit, Oz._

"What's that?" Dudley asked, still cradling his arm to his chest as Jaune helped him heal.

"None of your business." Qrow snapped. "Oz, are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't you tell us that?" Yang glared at him.

Ozpin looked down. "I-"

"It doesn't matter right now." Ruby cut across him. Yang folded her arms, looking away sullenly.

"Every second we're on this train we're putting everyone else in danger." Ruby continued, turning to Ren and Nora. "Get the passengers to the front cars. You'll still mask the emotions and kill the turrets; we just can't come with you." She looked down. "If we cut the back cars with us and the Relic on them, we can deal with the Grimm. You just make sure the rest of the train makes it safely to Argus."

Jaune walked over to her. "Only if you promise you'll meet us there."

She smiled. "Promise."

Standing on the train roof, Oscar watched as Blake cut the connection between the passenger cars and the rest of the train slowly slid out of view. The Grimm dived for the back carriages.

"Now!" Ruby yelled into her scroll.

Nora heard the order through her own scroll and nodded to Ren. With Jaune at his side boosting his power, Ren managed to mask the entire front section of the train. They slid out of view.

Oscar ducked as a griffon landed behind him, snapping at his head. Cane in hand, he leapt forward and struck it repeatedly, switching from defence to offence in the blink of an eye. He grabbed it by the horn and swung onto the back of its neck.

"You couldn't have made a sharper weapon, Oz?" He said, slamming the cane into the griffon's throat.

_"Aim for the eyes." _ Ozpin advised.

Snarling, the griffon batted him off and took to the air. Ruby sliced through another Grimm with her scythe, sending it spinning in Oscar's direction. It collided with the griffon he had been fighting and they both tumbled off the train. Sparing Oscar a concerned glance, she turned back to the fight.

"By the gods, they're good." Oscar muttered, watching as Ruby and Qrow fought in tandem, slicing through the leading griffon. As it crumbled to dust, it let loose a fireball that smashed against the tracks. The train left the rails. Oscar felt a heavy weight sticking him to the train roof and looked down to see one of Weiss's glyphs preventing him from falling. There was an explosion of snow and the screech of tearing metal, then all Oscar saw was white.

When he came to, Oscar was lying crumpled on the snowy ground.

"Is everyone okay?" Qrow struggled to his feet.

"Yeah..." Ruby muttered. Yang helped her up, then turned to Blake who was brushing snow of her sleeves. Weiss stood up, the points of her heels sinking into the snow.

"Still alive!" A cheery voice sounded from inside the train carriage. Oscar turned in surprise to see an old woman, with what appeared to be metal goggles strapped to her face, clambering out.

"That sure was a close one, huh?" She smiled.


	21. Chapter 21: Like an Avalanche

**Chapter Twenty-One: Like an Avalanche**

"Great, this is just great!" Yang struggled to pull her bike out of a snowdrift. "We're stranded, we lost a third of our party, and we have gained a defenceless old lady!" She stumbled, falling onto her back in the snow.

"My name is Maria Calavera!" The old woman exclaimed, brushing Oscar's hand off her shoulder. "And I am not defenceless, just a little hard of hearing, and blind without my eyes, that are in desperate need of repair..." She tapped the side of her metal prosthetic eyes. "Okay, I'm starting to see your point."

Oscar sighed quietly, brushing snow off his sleeves.

"Yang, knock it off will you?" Qrow walked over. "If we lose our cool now, we'll just be inviting even more Grimm."

"Does that even matter?" Blake interjected. "Apparently, we've been attracting Grimm since we left Haven."

Yang placed one hand on her hip. "How could I forget about that?" She turned to Oscar. "What happened to no more lies and half-truths?"

Oscar stopped walking and turned around. "Yeah, I think it's time we got an explanation."

_"You're asking me to take control? Very well then." _

Oscar's eyes flashed yellow, and he was thrown to the back of his own mind again.

"I did not lie to you." Ozpin said, his eyes narrowed.

"Well you certainly didn't tell us everything about the Relic." Weiss stood next to Yang, hands on hips.

Ozpin raised both hands. "Please, now is not the time-"

"No, we're past that. I want to know why you're still not telling us everything." Yang stepped forward and Ruby stood behind her.

Ozpin sighed. "It is true that the Grimm are attracted to the Relics. It's faint but undeniable. I believe it had to do with their origin, but I'm not entirely sure. Regardless, I feared that making you all aware would only add anxiety and negativity. It seemed like the safer option."

"You know, I'm getting real tired of people choosing what's best for me." Weiss said dryly.

"Is that why you chose to lie to everyone about Lionheart too?" Yang narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, as a matter of fact!" Ozpin began to pace. "I believed the kingdom of Mistral deserved better than the truth, and I believed Leonardo deserved to be remembered for his lifetime of service, and not the unfortunate missteps he made in his final years." He looked down.

"Missteps?" Yang exclaimed.

"What Professor Lionheart did was reprehensible, I am not here to argue differently. But does one lapse in judgement truly negate all of his good? Do we not all have regrets?" Ozpin glared at the snow-covered ground. "You may have met Professor Lionheart, but you never met the man he was before Salem found him." Ozpin's voice was grim.

"We're supposed to be in this together!" Yang insisted. "You can trust us, we're not gonna turn our backs on y-"

"Do you really think Leo was the first?" Ozpin yelled.

Ozpin's anger hit Oscar like an avalanche, crashing over him, thousands of years of mistakes and loss threatening to overcome them both. It was overwhelming.

"That he didn't say those exact same words to me?" Ozpin turned to face the group. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand that my behaviours are backed by experience. I'm not saying that I have reason to think you will betray me, I'm saying that I have reasons for the things I do, the secrets I keep. The reason I-" Ozpin stopped dead, looking around him with wide eyes. "Where's the Relic?"

Oscar winced at the blind panic filling his mind from Ozpin's.

"Right here." Ruby held up the lamp. "It got scattered in the crash."

_That's weird... _ Oscar thought to himself. _ Oz should feel relieved, but... Something's not right. _

"Please, hand it over." Ozpin reached out for the lamp.

"So all those times you talked about having faith in humanity, that was just for everyone else?" Ruby pulled the lamp closer to her.

Ozpin's breathing hitched.

_Gods Oz, _Oscar thought, _you're barely holding it together. _Concern building, he tried to pry deeper into Ozpin's mind._ He's hiding something... Why? _

Oscar's heart rate quickened. He couldn't tell if it was because of him or Ozpin. Breaking through the walls Ozpin had built up in his mind, he dove deeper.

Ozpin sighed. "That's not what I meant to suggest. Miss Rose, the Relic is a powerful item, and I simply feel as though it is my burden to bear."

"But you said it couldn't do anything right now." Ruby stammered.

"Why does it matter who carries it?" Blake stepped forward.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed and he took a step towards Ruby.

A chill ran through Oscar as he finally broke through the mental barricade. _ Ozpin, what have you done? _

Ozpin strode forward. "I need you to listen to m-"

_No! _ Oscar screamed. No sound left his mouth but Ozpin froze, one hand reaching for the Relic. Fighting like never before, Oscar succeeded in wrenching back a measure of control.

"Oz?" Qrow's brow furrowed.

A strangled gasp escaped Oscar's throat. "Hurry," Oscar hissed, "he's..." His hands shook and his voice grew clearer. "He's trying to stop you."

_"What are you doing? Oscar, stop!" _ Ozpin pleaded inside Oscar's mind. It was deafening.

"Stop her from what?" Yang stepped protectively in front of Ruby.

"He's afraid..." Between strangled breaths, Oscar fought to speak. "You'll find out... what he's... hiding-"

_"Give me control!" _

He cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground. Yang clenched her fists.

Panting, Oscar reached towards Ruby. "Her name is Jinn. Say her name to summon her."

"Her name?" Ruby clutched the lamp tightly to her chest. It pulsed with a rhythmic blue glow, illuminating her face. The wind howled. Blake, Yang and Weiss shared a nervous glance, Blake's hand creeping closer to the hilt of her sword.

Ruby looked down at the Relic. "Jinn?"

Time stopped. Snowflakes that had been drifting down from the sky paused in their fall, hanging in mid-air. Blue mist flowed from the lamp and Ruby let go. It spun slowly through the air, floating and growing. The blue mist rose into a towering pillar. Ruby's jaw dropped. A figure formed from the mist, a blue skinned woman with long black hair and golden chains adorning her body. She stretched luxuriously.

"Wonderful..." The woman yawed, smiling. She leant towards Ruby, resting her head on her hand. "Tell me, what knowledge do you seek?"

Oscar stared, his mouth falling open. Taking advantage of his shock, Ozpin wrenched back control.

_Too little, too late, _Oscar thought. _You can't hide the truth from them any longer, Ozpin._

"I am Jinn," the woman proclaimed, "a being created by the God of Light to aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge."

Ruby took a step forward, eyes wide.

"I have been graced with the ability to answer three questions every one hundred years." Jinn smiled. "You're in luck, as I am still able to answer-"

"That's enough!" Ozpin yelled. The group turned to face him.

Jinn frowned. "Two questions this era," she continued.

Ozpin closed his eyes, curling his hands into fists. Shoulders slumped, Qrow stared at Ozpin as if the world was crashing down before him.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, old man." Jinn laughed dryly, turning her gaze on Ozpin and folding her arms.

"Ruby," Ozpin said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please, don't." He looked up at her. His eyes brimmed with tears, and the pain in them was as much Oscar's as it was his.

_Don't use me to manipulate her! _ Oscar struggled.

"Hey," began Qrow, taking a step towards Ruby.

Yang, Weiss and Blake leapt forward. They stood defensively in front of Ruby with narrowed eyes and readied weapons.

Qrow stared down at the tip of Weiss's sword, inches from his chest. Slowly, he raised his hands, palms flat in a pacifying gesture. "Do whatever you think is right, kiddo."

Blake's hand stayed curled around the hilt of her katana. Weiss and Yang remained unmoving.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby turned around. "Jinn."

Jinn raised an eyebrow. A faint, smug smile twisted up the corners of her mouth.

Ozpin ground his teeth. It took all of Oscar's strength to keep them both still, knelt in the snow with clenched fists.

Ruby took a deep breath, then looked up, meeting Jinn's eyes. "What is Ozpin hiding from us?"

"No!" Ozpin yelled, a feral howl that Oscar never could have imagined escaping his throat. He threw himself at Ruby blindly, his hand reaching for her throat. The world turned white.

_Ruby? _Oscar tried to call out, but his mouth didn't move. He couldn't see anyone else. An endless expanse of white stretched out before him. _What have you done, Ozpin?! Where are they?!_

"No, no, no please no, I can't do this again…" A torrent of words streamed from Ozpin, a mournful keening that left Oscar with a twinge of regret.

_I didn't mean to hurt you… _Oscar tried to direct his words at Ozpin.

The man seemed to hear him, ending his tirade in a quiet whimper. He clutched his head in his hands. "Oscar, why?" Ozpin's voice was barely audible. "Why…"

"Once upon a time," Jinn's voice rang out through the sea of white, "there stood a lonely tower." Ground formed below Oscar's feet, a soft dirt path worn into a grassy meadow. The sky darkened to blue. Twisted pillars of stone reached into the sky, forming a castle with a single, impossibly high tower.

Jinn spoke as if reading a fairy tale. "That sheltered a lonely girl."

The scene changed, and before Oscar could blink a tall mirror appeared before him. A young woman sat in front of it, combing her long, blonde hair.

Ozpin fell silent. He retreated into the depths of Oscar's mind, trying to distance himself from the vision as much as he could.

"Her name," Jinn continued, "was Salem."


	22. A Message to the Reader

**Would anyone actually care if I edited this so it's not so much re-hashing of canon and more original scenes that could have happened in the background? **

**I'm genuinely curious, so drop a review if you have an opinion. Please.**


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